How Harsh Were The Terms Of The Treaty Of Versailles On Germany

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Aaron Lord
Year 10 SOSE

Treaty Of Versailles
How harsh were the terms of the Treaty of Versailles on Germany?

The Treaty of Versailles was signed on the 28 June 1919 and was the most significant peace treaty that led to the return of peace in Europe containing fifteen parts and 440 articles. Although the armistice was made with Germany to end the fighting on 11 November 1918, it took six months of negotiations to create this peace treaty. The treaty was registered by the Secretariat of the League of Nations on 21 October 1919 and became effective as of the 10 January 1920.

One of if not the most controversial and unfair terms of the Treaty of Versailles was article 231 or the War Guilt Clause. The War Guilt Clause was the and opening article of the reparations section of the treaty. This article of the treaty stated that Germany accepts the responsibility of all the loss and damage caused by Germany and their allies which the Allied Powers had been subjected to during World War 1. Germany believed this article to be humiliating but the opposing leaders saw the article as a requirement for a basis to receive compensation from Germany.

Another of the requirements of the Treaty of Versailles was the economic requirements which put strain on Germany 's already stressed economy. During the war they had limited ability to import and export industrial goods that put pressure on their economy. Germany had offered war bonds to the public to be able to finance war expenses,