The Treaty of Versailles leaves Germany greatly weakened in terms of economic and military power, which gives a rise of resentment within the German nation. The Principal Allied and Associated Powers impose harsh restrictions on the German army.
Part V of the Treaty of Versailles is dedicated solely to the limitation of German armament. Articles 159-213 constitute the military, naval, and air clauses, which Germany has to comply with in order to “render possible the initiation of a general limitation of the armaments of all nations” (United States). Article 160 states: “By a date which must not be later than March 31, 1920, the German Army must not comprise more than seven divisions of infantry and three divisions of cavalry. After that date, the total number of effective in the Army of the States constituting Germany must not exceed one hundred thousand men.”
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The Treaty also limits the air and naval forces, production, import, and export of arms, and the militarization of German fortifications. In addition to these military measures, Germany is also obliged to pay heavy reparations, outlined in Part VIII of the Treaty. This section of the agreement opens with Article 231, which places full responsibility for the war on Germany and its allies; therefore, Germany is to cover for all the damage caused to the Allied Powers in order to “enable [them] to proceed at once to the restoration of their industrial and economic life.” The reparations, amounting to 20 billion gold marks in the first three years, make it impossible for Germany to restore and stabilize its own economy (United States).
The goal of the Allied Powers is to weaken Germany both militarily and economically in order to prevent possible future aggressions. The severe conditions of the Treaty lead Germany into a financial crisis and create a feeling of national humiliation. Germans at the time see the Treaty of Versailles as unfair and shameful. This becomes the first precondition for violating its clauses. Hitler, who is appointed Chancellor of the state in 1933, encourages the uprising resentment of German people towards the Allies. In 1939, in his response to a telegram from US President Franklin Roosevelt, Hitler claims the Treaty of Versailles is “the most dastardly outrage ever committed against a people and man” (Hitler). He centers his policies around the abolition of the 1919 agreement.
The Fuhrer openly declares his actions in a speech in 1939 in Munich: “My program was to abolish the Treaty of Versailles. It is futile nonsense for the rest of the world to pretend today that I did not reveal this program until 1933 or 1935 or 1937. Instead of listening to this foolish chatter of emigres, these gentlemen would have been wiser to read what I have written thousands of times” (Powell). Yet despite Hitler’s vocal campaign against the Treaty of Versailles and his open actions endangering the peace, the victorious countries of World War I fail to frustrate his plans.
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