Treaty of Versailles

The Treaty of Versailles was negotiated during the Paris Peace Conference, which took place from January 1919 to May 1919. The conference was attended by representatives from over 30 countries, but the main decisions were made by the Big Four: France, Britain, the United States, and Italy.

The Treaty of Versailles imposed significant penalties on Germany, including:

• War guilt clause: Germany was forced to accept responsibility for causing the war.
• Reparations: Germany was required to pay significant reparations to the Allied Powers.
• Territorial losses: Germany lost significant territory, including Alsace-Lorraine to France and Saar to France under a League of Nations mandate.
• Military restrictions: Germany's military was significantly reduced, and it was prohibited from having an air force or submarines.

The Treaty of Versailles had significant consequences, including:

• Rise of Nazi Germany: The treaty's harsh terms contributed to widespread resentment in Germany, which contributed to the rise of Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party.
• World War II: The treaty's failure to establish a lasting peace contributed to the outbreak of World War II.