Peace Settlement

• What expectations did Germany have of the Peace Treaty? 

  They expected that they would be allowed to negotiate, and believed it would be based on Wilson’s 14 points 
• What percentage of land did Germany lose? 

  Germany lost 13% of land. 
• Name 3 military restrictions under the disarmament of Germany. 

  -German Army was limited to 100,000 men 

  -German Navy limited to 15,000 men 

  -Forbidden from having an air force 

  -Conscription banned 

  -Rhineland demilitarised  
• What article is the ‘war guilt clause’ under? What is the clause about? 

  Article 231 – Germany had to accept responsibility for starting the war and they were liable to pay reparations 
• What was final amount for reparations decided in 1921? 

  £6.6 billion
• Name 2 things the German citizens found humiliating about the peace treaty. 

  -Exclusion from the League of Nations 

  -The ‘war guilt clause’ which justified reparations 

  -Being denied national self-determination 

  -The high amount of reparations 
• When were the terms of the Treaty revealed to the German government? 

  May 1919. 
• Which Chancellor’s government had to sign the treaty? 

  Chancellor Bauer as Chancellor Scheidemann resigned due to the treaty. 
• What reactions did the SPD have towards the signing of the treaty?

  -The SPD believed it was best to comply 

  -SPD had to ask their main opponents to state those who signed the treaty were not unpatriotic  

  -Some former supporters of the Republic turned against it due to the humiliation of the treaty 
• What did the Right wing name those who signed the treaty?  

  They named the politicians that signed the treaty the ‘November Criminals’. 
• What myth did Ludendorff create?  

  He created the ‘stabbed in the back’ myth. 
• Who were the Freikorps? 

  A group of violent soldiers cut from the army who couldn’t/ unwilling to adjust to civilian life. 
• How did Britain react to the Peace Treaty? Give 1 way. 

  -British public opinion was satisfied that Germany couldn’t disrupt Europe’s peace.  

  -Lloyd George believed that Germany shouldn’t be so weak 
• How did France react to the Peace Treaty? Give 1 way. 

  -The French people believed they suffered the most and wanted revenge 

  -Many believed the treaty was too lenient! 
• How did the United States react to the Peace Treaty? Give 1 way. 

  -Widespread opinion that the treaty was very unfair 

  -Believed Britain and France were trying to enrich themselves 

  -Caused the USA to refuse to join the League of Nations