2) Impact of the treaty of versailles

• how much territory was lost?

  13%
• how much iron ore lost?

  75%
• how much coal lost?

  26%
• How much arable land lost?


  15%
• Disarmament


  demilitarisation of Rhineland

  army limited to 100,000 men

  Navy limited to 15,000 men and 6 battleships
• Article 231


  war guilt clause
• Reparations


  £6.6 billion
• ToV compared to how Germany treated Russia


  The ToV didn't punish Germany as much as they punished Russia with the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk in March 1918 when Germany had broken apart the Western part of the Russian Empire
• What did Scheidemann want to do?


  Wanted to reject the treaty. He resigned because of it and was replaced by Gustav Bauer
• Political crisis of June 1919


  Disagreements about how to response to the treaty and the allies had demanded that they accept within 7 days.

  Groener informed Ebert that military resistance would fail and Germany had no choice but to sign
• SPD response


  Policy of fulfillment (comply)
• Right wing reaction to treaty


  Many joined groups aiming to overthrow the Republic and called those who signed 'November criminals' who had betrayed the country 'stab in the back' myth encouraged by Ludendorff and Hindenburg
• Britain (Lloyd George) reaction


  Britain as a whole was satisfied but Lloyd George didn't want Germany too weak so they couldn't resist USSR expansion
• France (Clemenceau) reaction


  Regarded the treaty as too lenient on Germany. He was blamed for it not being harsh enough and was defeated in election and replaced by Foch who said it was not real peace
• USA (Wilson) reaction


  Believed it was too harsh and voted against joining the League of Nations despite it being Wilson's idea