Versailles is not peace, it's a truce for twenty years
Ferdinand Foch
The Treaty of Versailles of 1919 was signed on June 28. This document officially ended the First World War, which for 4 long years was the worst nightmare for all the inhabitants of Europe. This agreement received its name from the place where it was signed: in France at the Palace of Versailles. The signing of the Versailles Peace Treaty between the Entente countries and Germany, which officially admitted its defeat in the war. The terms of the agreement were so humiliating and cruel in relation to the losing side that they simply had no analogues in history, and all political figures of that era spoke more about a truce than about peace.
In this material we will consider the main conditions of the Versailles Peace Treaty of 1919, as well as the events that preceded the signing of this document. You will see from specific historical facts how stringent the requirements for Germany turned out to be. In fact, this document shaped relations in Europe for two decades, and also created the preconditions for the formation of the Third Reich.
Treaty of Versailles 1919 - terms of peace
The text of the Treaty of Versailles is quite lengthy and covers a huge number of aspects. This is also surprising from the point of view that never before have clauses that have nothing to do with it been spelled out in such detail in a peace agreement. We will present only the most significant catches of Versailles, which made this treaty so enslaving. We present the Versailles Peace Treaty with Germany, the text of which is presented below.
- Germany admitted its responsibility for all the damage caused to all countries that participated in the First World War. The losing party will have to compensate for this damage.
- Wilhelm 2, the emperor of the country, was recognized as an international war criminal and was required to be brought before a tribunal (Article 227)
- Clear boundaries were established between European countries.
- The German state was prohibited from having a regular army (Article 173)
- All fortresses and fortified areas west of the Rhine must be completely destroyed (Article 180)
- Germany undertook to pay reparations to the winning countries, but specific amounts are not specified in the documents, and there are rather vague formulations that allow these reparation amounts to be assigned at the discretion of the Entente countries (Article 235)
- The territories west of the Rhine will be occupied by Allied forces to ensure compliance with the terms of the treaty (Article 428).
This is not a complete list of the main provisions that the Versailles Peace Treaty of 1919 contains, but it is quite enough to evaluate how this document was signed and how it could be implemented.
Prerequisites for signing the agreement
On October 3, 1918, Max Badensky became Chancellor of the Empire. This historical character had a tremendous influence on the outcome of the First World War. By the end of October, all participants in the war were looking for ways to exit it. No one could continue the protracted war.
On November 1, 1918, an event occurred that is not described in Russian history. Max Badensky caught a cold, took sleeping pills and fell asleep. His sleep lasted 36 hours. When the Chancellor woke up on November 3, all the allies withdrew from the war, and Germany itself was engulfed in revolution. Is it possible to believe that the chancellor simply slept through such events and no one woke him up? When he woke up, the country was practically destroyed. Meanwhile, Lloyd George, the former Prime Minister of Great Britain, describes this event in some detail in his biography.
On November 3, 1918, Max Badensky woke up and first of all issued a decree prohibiting the use of weapons against revolutionaries. Germany was on the verge of collapse. Then the chancellor turned to the German Kaiser Wilhelm with a request to abdicate the throne. On November 9, he announced the Kaiser's abdication. But there was no renunciation! William abdicated the throne only after 3 weeks! After the German Chancellor virtually single-handedly lost the war, and also lied about Wilhelm's abdication of power, he himself resigned, leaving behind his successor Ebert, an ardent Social Democrat.
After Ebert was declared Chancellor of Germany, the miracles continued. Just one hour after his appointment, he declared Germany a Republic, although he had no such powers. In fact, immediately after this, negotiations began on a truce between Germany and the Entente countries.
The Versailles Peace Treaty of 1919 also clearly shows us how Badensky and Ebert betrayed their homeland. Armistice negotiations began on November 7. The agreement was signed on November 11. To ratify this agreement, on the German side, it had to be signed by the ruler, the Kaiser, who would never agree to the conditions that the signed agreement carried. Now do you understand why Max of Baden lied on November 9 about Kaiser Wilhelm abdicating power?
Results of the Treaty of Versailles
Under the terms of the Treaty of Versailles, Germany was obliged to transfer to the Entente countries: the entire fleet, all airships, as well as almost all steam locomotives, wagons and trucks. In addition, Germany was prohibited from having a regular army or producing weapons and military equipment. It was forbidden to have a fleet and aviation. In fact, Ebert did not sign a truce, but an unconditional surrender. Moreover, Germany had no reason for this. The Allies did not bomb German cities and not a single enemy soldier was on German territory. The Kaiser's army successfully conducted military operations. Ebert understood perfectly well that the German people would not approve of such a peace treaty and would want to continue the war. Therefore, another trick was invented. The agreement was called an armistice (this a priori told the Germans that the war was simply ending without any concessions), but it was signed only after Ebert and his government had laid down their arms. Even before the signing of the “truce,” Germany transferred the fleet, aviation and all weapons to the Entente countries. After this, resistance by the German people to the Versailles Peace Treaty was impossible. In addition to the loss of the army and navy, Germany was forced to cede a significant part of its territory.
The Treaty of Versailles in 1919 was humiliating for Germany. Most politicians later said that this was not peace, but simply a truce before a new war. And so it happened.
The economic, territorial and political interests of European countries at the turn of the 20th century intersected in many directions. The struggle for influence in the international arena goes beyond diplomatic relations; this is a prerequisite for the outbreak of an armed conflict. The First World War was started to redistribute spheres of influence by the world's largest powers. Its results were disastrous for the economies of all participating countries (except the USA and Japan), but the new order led to even more dire consequences. The Treaty of Versailles, signed with great difficulty, turned out to be a time bomb.
War
The emergence of a military alliance called the Entente was due to the growing influence of the German Empire in the European political and economic arenas. Initially, the bloc includes France and Russia, which enter into an exclusively military-political agreement; later Great Britain joins, having lost the primacy of its handicraft production by the beginning of the century. The central part of Europe is occupied by Austria-Hungary, which is balancing on the brink of internecine war due to its multinational composition, but at the same time is in confrontation with a larger and stronger neighbor - Russia. Germany is developing rapidly, compared to its European neighbors, its colonial possessions are too small, so the intentions are obvious. The Italians, Austrians and Hungarians joined the Germans as an ally. The balance of power changed with the course of hostilities; a total of 38 countries took part in them. The First World War began in 1914, it lasted 5 years and ended in November 1918. Military operations took place on the western, eastern front and in the colonies. Germany and its allies launch an offensive in 1914 quite successfully, capturing Luxembourg and Belgium. The French army is trying to hold back the onslaught through bloody battles, Russia is quite successful in operating in the eastern direction, capturing Prussia. In 1915-16, the most tragic events took place: the Battle of Verdun and the Brusilov breakthrough, which became the last success of the Russian imperial troops. As a result of the Americans joining the Entente armies, the course of the war changes. Germany's allies sign a peace treaty with the victorious states, this forces the Germans to surrender. The tragic events that blew up the Russian Empire from the inside took it out of the war in 1917 and left it outside international economic and political relations for a long period. The Treaty of Versailles is a documentary reflection of the end of the world war.
Consequences
In fact, by 1918, the entire industry and agriculture of European states had been reoriented towards military needs. During the war, more than 60% of enterprises were destroyed, thousands of hectares of agricultural land could not be used for their intended purpose. The loss of the main resource - human life - is difficult to estimate; more than 10 million people died, the number of disabled and unemployed people is incalculable. The demographic situation in Europe was on the verge of collapse. Economic ties between countries and enterprises were lost, the entire international trade and economic infrastructure collapsed, its foundation - production - ceased to exist. Hunger, chaos and devastation reigned on the territory of the countries that won the war and those that lost the war. The gold and foreign exchange reserves of the parties to the confrontation were exhausted; the United States became the main creditor for all parties to the conflict. Throughout the conflict, they sold military equipment, food and everything that was needed to support the troops and population during the war. As an outside observer, the United States was able to boost its industry and earn enormous capital. In Europe, some of the previously existing countries were unable to cope with huge losses and ceased to exist: the Ottoman, German, Austro-Hungarian and Russian empires. The terms of the Versailles peace treaty did indeed contribute to a new division of Europe, but not according to the German scenario. For the military-industrial complex, the First World War became a catalyst in the process of creating and using new types of weapons. Machine guns, tanks, grenades, bombers and fighters significantly changed the tactics and strategy of military operations. The first use of chemical weapons allowed all countries to draw the right conclusion and abandon their use. There have never been more violent clashes in world history; the massive destruction of enemy forces led to huge losses on all sides of the conflict.
Russia
The First World War caused changes in the world economic and political system. At the initial stage, the Russian Empire was assigned a leading role in the military actions of the Entente against the Triple Alliance, but our country did not have any special geopolitical motives at the time of its involvement in the conflict. The resource base allowed the state not to fight for colonial possessions; there was no reason to expand the territory at the expense of neighboring countries. Nicholas II was forced to enter the war because of the military-political treaties that existed at that time with England and France; this decision cost him his throne and his life. The army and rear structures of the Russian Empire were unable to wage a protracted war; the initiative on the eastern front quickly passed to the enemy army. Part of the territory of Ukraine, the Baltic states and Belarus were captured by German troops. In 1916, the Russian army was able to restore its functionality and partially draw back enemy forces from the western front, preventing the capture of Paris. On French territory, at the cost of huge losses, several cities previously occupied by the Germans were liberated. The last significant victory was the Brusilov breakthrough, in which the Austro-Hungarian army was defeated by the Russian imperial troops. Meanwhile, dissatisfaction with the tsar’s policies is growing within the country, and he is rapidly losing the trust of the people. Against the backdrop of military actions that are not victorious, restrictions and hunger, a revolution occurs. The new government begins to solve internal problems and emerges from the global conflict on unfavorable terms. The peace treaty concluded with Germany is a shameful flight that many officers and soldiers did not accept. Some of the imperial troops fought on the fields of the First World War as part of the Allied formations of the Entente, considering it a duty of honor. A period of international isolation began for Soviet Russia; most world powers considered the Bolshevik government illegitimate, so the Treaty of Versailles was signed without the participation of the Russians. This will play a huge role in the future not only in the development of our country, but also in the global political and economic system.
Germany
Possessing a fairly powerful army, navy and great ambitions, Wilhelm II pursued an aggressive foreign policy. Germany, having Bulgaria, Austria-Hungary and the Ottoman Empire as its allies, could not conduct military operations on two fronts at the same time. According to the Germans' calculations, they had to capture France in a short time, and then switch to destroying the forces of the Russian Empire. The emphasis was on speed and support from the countries of the Triple Alliance. At the same time, in fact, German troops were forced to operate in the Balkans, Africa, Europe and Asia. This is explained by the great maneuverability and combat effectiveness of German formations. Virtually all naval operations involving the troops of the Triple Alliance were carried out under the leadership of the officers of the German Empire. In 1915, a massive offensive against the French capital was thwarted due to the inability of the Austro-Hungarian army to hold positions on the eastern front. In fact, Germany was defeated in World War I due to economic reasons. For four years, all the production and agricultural capacities of the state worked for the needs of the army. Famine and war led to a revolution that ended with a mutiny among the troops and the overthrow of William II in November 1918. At the same time, Germany admits defeat and concludes a truce with the Entente countries (without Russia, which as a result of the revolution became known as the USSR).
Treaty of Versailles
The peaceful resolution of the military conflict was a long process of reconciling the contradictions of the victorious countries. The Entente, expanded to include Japan and the United States, began to redistribute Europe and colonial possessions in Africa and the Far East. The treaties of the Versailles system were supposed to ensure the independence and stability of the states that won the First World War, while the interests of the losing countries were infringed through financial instruments and territorial annexations. An international conference was held in Paris in 1919-1920. The Treaty of Versailles was signed in June 1919. Its main articles were positions on which consensus was reached at the international conference. The document came into force in January 1920. His project was proposed by Wilson (the then current US President) in 1918. The essence of the Treaty of Versailles in its original version was the redistribution of spheres of influence of the victorious countries, in particular the United States. At the same time, dominance in Europe was necessary for the Americans due to economic indicators, but the allied states had their own interests. The document was supposed to limit the influence of all countries participating in the conflict, not only on the losing side, the leader of which was Germany. The Treaty of Versailles created a group of independent states in central Europe that served as a buffer zone between Soviet Russia and the Western European powers. To maintain peace and prevent potential conflicts, the document created a special organization called the League of Nations. The Treaty of Versailles was ratified by the Entente: Great Britain, France, Japan, and by the Triple Alliance: Germany. In 1921, the Americans created the Versailles-Washington treaty system, which, in essence, did not differ from the original version, but excluded participation in the League of Nations. Germany was forced to sign it too.
The League of nations
The Treaty of Versailles is the document on the basis of which the first international organization was created, designed to regulate relations between countries through diplomacy. During its existence, the League of Nations created several commissions that specialized in analyzing the situation in specific areas: women's rights, drug trafficking, refugees, etc. At various times, it included 58 countries, the founders of which were France, Spain, and Great Britain. The last meeting of the Council of the League of Nations took place in 1946. Many international institutions that exist today are its successors and continuers of traditions: UNESCO, the UN, the International Court of Justice, the World Health Organization.
Division of Europe
The main terms of the Treaty of Versailles implied the separation of part of German territory in favor of the victorious countries and newly formed states created after the collapse of the Ottoman and Austro-Hungarian Empires. Most of them had anti-Soviet governments and were used as a buffer against Bolshevism. Hungary, Poland, Lithuania, Austria, Czechoslovakia, Estonia, Finland, Yugoslavia have gone through a difficult path of internal political settlement. Under the terms of the agreement, Germany allocated: Poland - 43 thousand km 2, Denmark - 4 thousand km 2, France - more than 14 thousand km 2, Lithuania - 2.4 thousand km 2. The 50-kilometer zone of the left bank of the Rhine River was subject to demilitarization, that is, it was actually occupied by enemy troops for 15 years. The Treaty of Brest-Litovsk, concluded between Germany and Soviet Russia, was annulled, which led to the return of the occupied lands (partially Belarus, Transcaucasia, Ukraine). The Saarland is placed under the administration of the League of Nations, with the use of coal mines by France. The Gdansk district was declared a free city. Germany lost all its colonial possessions, which were distributed among the victorious countries. Protectorate rights over Egypt and Morocco were transferred to England and France respectively. Chinese territories leased by Germany for 99 years were transferred to Japan, which is why the largest delegation left the international conference and did not sign the Treaty of Versailles. Briefly, the main provisions were rejected in favor of the winners, 70 thousand km 2, on which more than 5,000 people lived.
Restrictions
As a result of Germany's military aggression, many territories of central, eastern and western Europe suffered; reparations in their favor were also reflected in the Treaty of Versailles. The articles of the document did not contain specific figures; they were determined by a specially created commission. The total volume of payments at the initial stage was approximately 100 thousand tons of gold. Restrictions were also imposed on the armed forces of the aggressor country. Mandatory conscription was abolished, all military equipment was transferred to the Entente countries, and the number of ground forces was stipulated. In fact, Germany, from the most influential country in Western Europe, became a powerless member of international relations. The living conditions of the population and constant pressure from the victors allowed the Nazi regime to come to power in 1933 and create a more powerful totalitarian state, which later, with the help of the USA and England, would become a counterweight in the secret war with the USSR. According to the conclusions of many historians, the Treaty of Versailles of 1919 was an armistice that led to a new war. The Germans were humiliated by the terms of the document, they lost the war without allowing a single enemy soldier onto their territory, and at the same time remained the only aggressor country that bore the brunt of economic and military-political restrictions.
Disagreements
The Versailles-Washington treaty system actually worsened the relationship between the former allies. The Americans and the British sought to reduce the burden of Germany's obligations with the help of the Young Plan, which helped speed up the recovery of the country's economy and industry by 1929. Hoping to acquire a reliable ally in the fight against the USSR, the United States invested quite large sums into the restoration of the former aggressor. England sought to reduce the level of influence of France in the European arena, which, through reparations, practically restored the economy within five years. At this time, Germany finds an unexpected ally - the USSR. Two large states that have fallen out of the system of international relations are uniting. And for a long time they have been cooperating quite effectively in the field of creating military equipment, trade, and food supplies. Japan is beginning to increase its appetites in the Far East and China; there is no unity among the allies; each country pursues its own interests. The Treaty of Versailles is violated primarily by its creators, who were preparing for peace, but ended up with a new war.
Failure
The structure of the world system after the end of the First World War, based on the points of the Treaty of Versailles, contained many contradictions. It is impossible to ensure control of the situation by excluding a sixth of the globe from international relations. The concept of the 14 points of the document had an anti-Russian (anti-Soviet) orientation. Consent and equality are the basic principles of any contract. A special role in the failure of the peace agreements was played by negative economic factors that are associated with the process of cyclical development of any system. While the leading imperialist powers were busy with their own economies, Germany not only learned to maneuver and circumvent the Versailles agreements, but also created a new regime of aggression. To a large extent, this was due to the principle of non-interference by the countries of the former Entente in its military policy. The creation of a new war machine was welcomed by the former allies, as they hoped to direct its aggression to the east. The United States, in turn, decided to increase the growth rate of its own economy through a new war in Europe.
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In 1918, Germany realized that it had lost the war. All efforts were aimed at concluding peace, not capitulation. In October, a truce was signed for 36 days: peace conditions were worked out, but they were harsh. They were dictated by the French. Peace was not signed. The truce was extended 5 times. There was no unity in the Allied camp. France retained the first position. It was very weakened by the war, both economically and financially. She came out with demands for the payment of colossal reparations, as she sought to crush the German economy. She demanded the division of Germany, but England opposed this.
In October 1918, the German government approached US President Woodrow Wilson with a proposal to conclude a truce on all fronts. This move was an indication that Germany had agreed to Wilson's Fourteen Points, a document that served as the basis for a just peace. However, the Atlanta countries demanded from Germany full compensation for the damage caused to the civilian population and the economy of these countries. In addition to demands for restitution, negotiations were complicated by territorial claims and secret agreements made by England, France and Italy with each other and with Greece and Romania in the last year of the war.
June 28, 1919 - Signing of the Treaty of Versailles, which ended World War I. The peace treaty between Germany and the Entente countries was signed in the Hall of Mirrors at the Palace of Versailles in the suburbs of Paris. The date of its signing went down in history as the day of the end of World War I, despite the fact that the provisions of the Versailles Peace came into force only on January 10, 1920.
27 countries took part in it. It was an agreement between the victors and Germany. Germany's allies did not take part in the conference. The text of the peace treaty was created during the Paris Peace Conference in the spring of 1919. In fact, the terms were dictated by the leaders of the "Big Four" in the person of British Prime Minister David Lloyd George, French President Georges Clemenceau, American President Woodrow Wilson and the head of Italy Vittorio Orlando. The German delegation was shocked by the harsh terms of the treaty and the obvious contradictions between the armistice agreements and the provisions of the future peace. The vanquished were especially indignant at the language about Germany's war crimes and the incredible size of its reparations.
The legal basis for Germany's reparations was accusations of war crimes. It was impossible to calculate the actual damage caused by the war to Europe (especially France and Belgium), but the approximate amount was $33,000,000,000. Despite statements by world experts that Germany would never be able to pay such reparations without pressure from the Entente countries, the text The peace treaty contained provisions that allowed certain measures of influence on Germany. Among the opponents of collecting reparations was John Maynard Keynes, who, on the day the Treaty of Versailles was signed, said that Germany's huge debt would lead to a global economic crisis in the future. His prediction, unfortunately, came true: in 1929, the United States and other countries suffered the Great Depression. By the way, it was Keynes who was at the origins of the creation of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund.
The leaders of the Entente, in particular Georges Clemenceau, were interested in eliminating any possibility of Germany unleashing a new world war. For these purposes, the treaty included provisions according to which the German army was to be reduced to 100,000 personnel, and military and chemical production in Germany was prohibited. The entire territory of the country east of the Rhine and 50 km to the west was declared a demilitarized zone.
From the very signing of the Treaty of Versailles, the Germans declared that “the peace treaty was imposed on them by the Entente.” In the future, the strict provisions of the treaty were softened in favor of Germany. However, the shock that the German people experienced after the signing of this shameful peace remained in the memory for a long time, and Germany harbored hatred for the rest of the states of Europe. In the early 30s, on the wave of revanchist ideas, Adolf Hitler managed to come to power in an absolutely legal way.
The surrender of Germany allowed Soviet Russia to denounce the provisions of the Brest-Litovsk separate peace concluded between Germany and Russia in March 1918 and return its western territories.
Germany has lost a lot. Alsace and Lorraine went to France, and northern Schleswick went to Denmark. Germany lost more territories that were given to Holland. But France failed to achieve a border along the Rhine. Germany was forced to recognize the independence of Austria. Unification with Austria was prohibited. In general, Germany was entrusted with a colossal number of different prohibitions: a ban on creating a large army and having many types of weapons. Germany was forced to pay reparations. But the question of quantity was not resolved. A special commission was created, which practically dealt only with setting the amount of reparations for the next year. Germany was deprived of all its colonies.
Austria-Hungary split into Austria, Hungary and Czechoslovakia. From Serbia, Montenegro, Bosnia, Herzegovina and Southern Hungary at the end of the war, the Serbo-Croatian-Slovenian state was formed, which later became known as Yugoslavia. They were similar to those from Versailles. Austria lost a number of its territories and army. Italy received South Tyrol, Trieste, Istria and their surrounding areas. The Slavic lands of the Czech Republic and Moravia, which had long been part of Austria-Hungary, became the basis of the newly formed Czechoslovak Republic. Part of Silesia passed to her. The Austro-Hungarian naval and Danube fleets were placed at the disposal of the victorious countries. Austria had the right to maintain an army of 30 thousand people on its territory. Slovakia and Transcarpathian Ukraine were transferred to Czechoslovakia, Croatia and Slovenia were included in Yugoslavia, Transylvania, Bukovina and most of Banat-Romania. The size of the Veger army was determined at 35 thousand people.
The matter reached Turkey. Under the Treaty of Sèvres, it lost about 80% of its former lands. England received Palestine, Transjordan and Iraq. France - Syria and Lebanon. Smyrna and the surrounding areas, as well as the islands in the Aegean Sea, were to go to Greece. In addition, Masuk went to England, Alexandretta, Kyllikia and a strip of territories along the Syrian border went to France. The creation of independent states in the east of Anatolia - Armenia and Kurdistan - was envisaged. The British wanted to turn these countries into a springboard for the fight against the Bolshevik threat. Türkiye was limited to the territory of Asia Minor and Constantinople with a narrow strip of European land. The straits were entirely in the hands of the victorious countries. Turkey officially renounced its previously lost rights to Egypt, Sudan and Cyprus in favor of England, in Morocco and Tunisia in favor of France, and in Libya in favor of Italy. The army was reduced to 35 thousand people, but it could be increased to suppress anti-government protests. The colonial regime of the victorious countries was established in Turkey. But due to the outbreak of the national liberation movement in Turkey, this treaty was not ratified and then annulled.
The United States left the Versailles conference dissatisfied. It was not ratified by the American Congress. It was her diplomatic defeat. Italy was also not happy: she did not get what she wanted. England was forced to reduce its fleet. It's expensive to maintain. She had a difficult financial situation, a large debt to the United States, and they put pressure on her. In February 1922, a nine-power treaty on China was signed in Washington. He did not sign the Treaty of Versailles, as it was planned to give some territory of German China to Japan. The division into spheres of influence in China was eliminated; there were no colonies left there. This agreement gave rise to another discontent in Japan. This is how the Versailles-Washington system was formed, which lasted until the mid-1930s.
On June 28, 1919, at the Palace of Versailles, Foreign Minister Müller and German Justice Minister Bell, on behalf of their government, signed a peace treaty with the victors.
Large in volume, it contained articles of an economic, political and financial nature and was the reason for the Germans that gave rise to revanchism.
Germany returned Alsace and Lorraine with all the bridges over the Rhine. The mines of the Saar coal basin passed to France, and the Saar region - under the control of the League of Nations for 15 years; after the expiration of the term, the question of their ownership is questioned. The right bank of the Rhine was occupied by the Entente for 15 years + territory 50 km east of the Rhine d.b. demilitarized. The districts of Einen and Malmedy went to Belgium, Schleswig and Holstein to Denmark.
Germany recognized the independence of Czechoslovakia and Poland. In favor of Czechoslovakia, the Gulginsky district was transferred in Upper Silesia, and a number of regions of Pomerania were transferred to Poland.
Danzig (Kdansk) was transferred to the League of Nations, which pledged to make it a free city, incorporating it into the Polish customs system. Poland received the right to control the railway and river routes of the Danqing corridor.
In total, Germany was deprived of 1/8 of its territory, 1/12 of the population that lived on this territory.
The colonies of England and France divided Cameroon and Togo among themselves, African...
Germany d.b. give up all merchant ships with a displacement over 1600 tons, half over 1000 tons, 25% of all fishing vessels, 20% of the river fleet.
At its shipyards, within 5 years, build ships with a total displacement of 200,000 tons per year for the winners. Within 10 years Germany d.b. supply France with 140 million tons of coal per year; Belgium – 80 million tons, Italy – 77 million tons; d.b. transfer 50% of all dyes; until 1925, supply 25% of produced chemical products and dyes. Germany renounced economic rights and advantages in China, Siam, Liberia, Morocco, Egypt and transferred these rights to France and Great Britain.
Germany pledged in advance to recognize the treaties that would be concluded with Turkey and Bulgaria; rejection of the Brest-Litovsk and Bucharest peace. Art. 116 of the Treaty of Versailles recognized Russia's right to receive reparations, but after a unified national government. Germany pledged to leave troops in the Baltic states until further notice from the victors, i.e. Germany is a participant in the intervention in Russia.
The agreement was predatory, humiliating and insulting.
The winners began negotiations with Austria, Bulgaria and Turkey. On September 10, 1919, a peace treaty with Austria was signed at the Saint-Germain Palace in Paris, but it was prescribed separately, because The Austro-Hungarian Empire collapsed. Austria d.b. transfer to Italy part of the provinces - Carniola and Corinthia, South Tyrol and Kostynland. Kingdom of Croats, Slovenes and Slovaks(Yugoslavia) received Dalmatia, southern Styria, southeastern Corinthia, and part of Carniola.
To drive a wedge between Austria and Hungary, the Burgenland region was taken from Hungary and transferred to Austria. Bukovina region transferred to Romania; Bohemia and Moravia became part of Czechoslovakia.
Austria was prohibited from uniting with Germany, the entire merchant and military fleet of Austria was transferred to the winners. Austria ceased to exist in any serious sense.
Germany has a regular army, and its contract army is no more than 30 thousand people.
On November 27, 1919, an agreement was signed in Neuilly with Bulgaria, which also suffered territorial losses: Dobruja - Romania, part of the territories of Yugoslavia, Thrace - under the control of the Entente. Bulgaria gave its entire fleet to the winners and pledged to pay 2.5 billion francs in gold; The army is contract, no more than 20 thousand.
Agreement with Hungary the latest - June 4, 1920 in Versailles in the large Trianon Palace. Slovakia and Carpathian Rus' of Czechoslovakia; Croatia and Slovenia - Yugoslavia; Romania - Transylvania. The Hungarian army became a contract army, up to 30 thousand people. As a result of territorial losses, it remained landlocked; lost 70% of the territory and 50% of the population. Economically, it has fallen to the bottom of wealth: “The country of seven million beggars.”
The signing of the Versailles Peace Treaty radically changed the political map of Europe and the balance of power on the continent. Although the treaty formally proclaimed the beginning of a new era - “an era without wars. Violence and robbery,” “Versailles” laid the cause-and-effect basis for a new war. The basis is a combination of the conditions on which the peace treaties were concluded - imperialist in nature and aimed at obtaining the greatest advantages at the expense of the vanquished, which looked like an elementary robbery.
The Versailles system created a situation where new state borders often ran along the “body of the ethnic group,” which led to the settlement of the Nars in two or even more states - the German and Hungarian people. All these reasons and conditions immediately introduced an element of fragility and revanchism into the system of the Versailles Treaties, dooming it to rapid collapse.