Mr. Turner’s 7th grade
Social Studies Class
HOW DID THE VERSAILLES
TREATY HELP CAUSE WWII
By: Ally Fair, Jessalyn LaFrancis, and Logan
Murphy
Cause One: German Territorial Loss
The Versailles Treaty was established by the major hands of World War I. It was a treaty to end war and create
peace throughout all nations. It was unfair and too hard on Germany which helped spark World War II. The treaty included
Germany losing the Polish Corridor, a small piece of East Prussia, and a little more territory on the Northern and Western
borders. Germany lost this because they had taken the territory during the first World War. The effect of them losing this
land was that Germany’s coal production was cut back to sixty percent. The loss of the Polish Corridor decreased the amount
of exports and imports going in and out of Germany through the Baltic Sea. These events lead Germany to an economical
crisis. Adolf Hitler, the Chancellor and soon to be president of Germany, knew that his country had been put in such a
terrible position that it would take retaliation to get out of it. Hitler was so angry with the situation that his country was in,
that he figured the only solution would be war.
We feel that this is one of the major reasons that the Versailles Treaty caused World War II because it portrayed
how unfair it was towards Germany and how they suffered because of the circumstances they were put in.
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Cause Two: Reparations
Reparations are payments or compensation that are owed to the victors by the loser. Usually they are used to pay
for civilian damage and other expenses. The Versailles Treaty stated that Germany would have to pay 132 billion gold marks
($367 billion US dollars) for compensation after their loss during WWI. However, Woodrow Wilson, the President of the
United States, and John Keynes, an English representative, declared that it would be impossible for Germany to meet those
standards and that it would cause a potential argument with other countries. When Adolf Hitler came to power in 1933, all
payments were ceased. Hitler stopped these payments because he knew they would be to much for his country to handle.
When the reparations were ceased, Germany’s economic situation was eventually better. This, of course, was in violation of
the treaty, angering the very countries that put it into place. Wilson and Keynes’ prediction was accurate. The war would
soon come.
We believe this is one of the many causes of World War II because it put Germany in a debt that couldn’t repay. It
completely demolished their economical state. Wilson and Keynes’ thoughts about the approaching war were proven to be
correct because of Germany’s anger towards the rest of Europe and America.
Cause Three: Military Loss and
Humiliation
The treaty was meant to keep Germany from ever rising out of oppression and to make them sound pathetic and of
no use. This kept Germans full of embarrassment for their nation. Hitler reestablished a sense of pride and self worth again
for Germany. The treaty required Germany to cut their military down to less than one hundred thousand. Along with the
military shortage, the army could only protect the borders and act as peacekeepers. This was unfair to Germany and kept
them ill prepared for an attack.
We feel that this along with Germany’s territorial loss and payments owed from Germany are some of the causes of
World War II because it gave Germany no voice in their punishment and it was too harsh.
http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tt
o/health/mentalhealth/article2951828.ece