1. What impact did the Treaty of Versailles have on Germany?
Starter: Explain one thing we can learn about the impact of WW1 on Germany from this cartoon.
In this lesson, we will:
Describe the key terms of the Treaty of Versailles
Explain how much damage this treaty did for Germany.

2. Why did the Germany surrender?
In hindsight, the new Weimar Republic had little choice but to surrender – German society was collapsing.
By the winter of , the availability of food in German cities was critically low. The British naval blockade of German ports had halted food imports
Civilian deaths in 1918 increased by more than 200,000 from the previous year, chiefly because of starvation. Ten per cent of hospital patients, including many women in childbirth, were reported to have died because of food shortages.
At the time of the abdication, Matthias Erzberger (who would later become Vice-Chancellor of the Republic) was in France commencing armistice negotiations with French generals.
Chancellor Ebert telegraphed Erzberger and informed him to sign the ceasefire. Germany had officially surrendered.

3. What was the Treaty of Versailles?
Following the armistice in 1918, the allied powers met at the Palace of Versailles in France to begin to draw up a peace treaty for Germany and it’s allies. The negotiations were dominated by the ‘Big Three’: David Lloyd George, Georges Clemenceau and Woodrow Wilson.
Lloyd George (Britain) did not want to punish Germany too harshly as they were a large trading partner. He did not want the people of Germany to become so disillusioned with their government that they turned to communism.
Georges Clemenceau of France had one very simple belief – Germany should be brought to its knees so that she could never start a war again.
Woodrow Wilson of America had been genuinely stunned by the savagery of the Great War. He could not understand how an advanced civilisation could have reduced itself so that it had created so much devastation. He wanted to ensure any future wars would be prevented.

6. Learning Task One All targets
Cut out and glue in this cartoon to the middle of one book page.
Around it, annotate each part:
‘Peace term’
‘You’ve got to swallow it whether you like it or not’
‘Big Four Pills’

7. Germany is being forced to accept this peace treaty
Germany is being forced to accept this peace treaty. Most Germans believed Germany would be able to negotiate the terms of peace, but the Allies refused to allow any German representatives to the treaty discussions. It was called ‘diktat’ which means it was forced on them.
Article 231 known as ‘war guilt clause’ stated that Germany had to accept total responsibility for the war.
£6.6 million in reparations
All German colonies in Africa and the Far East were given to the victorious countries
The army was reduced to 100,000 men with no heavy artillery
Navy was reduced to 6 battleships, 6 cruisers, 12 destroyers and 12 torpedo boats. No submarines.
Air force was abolished
The Rhineland was demilitarised and no German troops allowed in. Allied soldiers would stay there until 1930.
Germany lost a lot of land (Alsace Lorraine to France, Eupen to Belgium, Posen to Poland Northern Schleswig to Poland)
The Saar coalfields was given to France for 15 years.

8. Checkpoint: Can you describe the key terms of the Treaty of Versailles?

9. What was the impact of this treaty on Germany?
One reason this treaty was so unpopular, was because the German people didn’t believe their army had been defeated.
Many people argued that the German army had been betrayed by politicians – they were “stabbed in the back”.
It made the new German government look weak. The treaty was so harsh that people hated the leaders of the government who signed to. They became known as “November Criminals”.
The Treaty of Versailles caused the Weimar Republic to look weak to its people.

10. Checkpoint: Can you explain the consequences of this treaty for Germany?