Peacemaking and the League of Nations: The Treaty of Versailles

The Terms of the Treaty of Versailles L.A.M.BL - Loss of LandOver 72,500 km^2 of German territory and 6-7 million German speaking people (approximately 10%+ of Germany's land and people) were given to other countries as part of the Treaty of Versailles. The victorious powers took Germany's colonies from themselves.The Western Front-Alsace-Lorraine were restored to France, and Eupen and Malmedy were given to Belgium through a plebiscite. North Schleswig was given to Denmark through plebiscite also. The Saar coalfields were placed under the care of the League of Nations for 15 years.The Eastern Frontier-An independant Poland was restored (which had been destroyed in the 18th century) and the areas of Posen, Upper Silesia and the Polish corridor were given to Poland. The states of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania were created from land taken by Germany in their victory over Russia.The ports of Danzig and Memel were placed under the care of the League, but Danzig was used as a trade outlet by Poland and the port of Memel was later taken by the new country Lithuania in 1923. Anschluss (union between Austria and Germany) was forbidden.A - Armed ForcesLots of restrictions were placed onto the German armed forces to prevent another chance of war. The Rhineland was demilitarised to act as a buffer zone between Germany and France (Clemenceau had seen France invaded twice by Germany in his lifetime and wanted to make sure it never happened again); no troops, weapons or armoured vehicles were allowed within 50km of the river Rhine. The ArmyThe army was limited to only 100,000 men (this was meant as a joke by the British because at the start of the war, the British though they could beat Germany with an army of just 100,000 men). Conscription (National Service) and tanks were banned from the German army.The NavyLimited to just 15,000 men, the Navy was only allowed 6 battleships and submarines were absolutely banned.The Air ForceThere was to be no Air Force; Aircraft for military purposes were forbidden.M- MoneyGermany had to pay reparations (the idea of the defeated powers paying for the cost of the war to the victorious powers)- £6.6 billion. This cost also included payments of raw materials such as coal and steel, and the patent for aspirin. A reparations commission was set up in 1921 and Germany was given 42 years to pay, this was reduced in 1929 and Germany stopped paying in the 1930s.B- BlameWar guilt clause- article 231 claimed that Germany was forced to accept blame for the war. This war guilt also gave Allies a legal reason to charge Germany reparations and was a moral condemnation against Germany's actions.