The Germans hated the Treaty of Versailles because they were not allowed to participate in the meeting. They think they have been deceived and betrayed, so they hate the treaty. The Germans hate Article 231 (which accuses Germany of provoking war) because it is an excuse for all the harsh provisions of the treaty and because they believe that Russia is responsible for starting the war. Germany's military power was reduced and no troops were allowed on the Rhine. The Germans say this makes them powerless even against small countries. However, at the same time, Germany was banned from joining the League of Nations, which is an insult. Germany must pay 36.6 billion euros in compensation, which the Germans believe is aimed at destroying the economy and starving their children. Finally, the Germans hate losing their land. Alsace-Lorraine was sent back to France and it became a national humiliation. The German colony was handed over to France or Great Britain, and the Germans viewed it as the establishment of an empire. Worst of all, large tracts of land in Germany were allocated to countries like Poland, and Germany was unable to unite with Austria. Germans think this is unfair, because other countries have won the right to self-determination, but many Germans have lost the right to join Germany.
The main reason Germans hate the Treaty of Versailles is because they think it is unfair. Germany did not attend the meeting. When Germany disagreed, the clause was imposed on Germany. The Allied forces threatened to start another war. The Germans are seen as a failed country, but they don't think they have been defeated. They signed the armistice ceasefire agreement in 1918 and thought they accepted Wilson's 14 points. As a result, only 14 o'clock entered the treaty. The Germans think they have been cheated, and betrayed, and they hate treaties. The Germans are also angry at the various provisions of the treaty. They hate clause 231u2013 war negligence clauseu2019u2013, which states that Germany caused all losses and damages in the war. First of all, the Germans did not think it was the cause of the war (for the Germans, the war was a self-defense war against Russia, which was launched on July 31, 1914). In the 1920s, the Germans published all secret documents from 1914 to show that they had tried to stop the war. Secondly, the Germans hate Article 231, because accepting it gives the Allies the moral right to punish Germany. In 2013, this article verified all the harsh provisions of the treaty.
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Germany hates the military provisions of the treaty (100,000 troops, only 6 battleships, no submarines or planes). The Germans say that even for the new small nation-states, this makes them powerless. The demilitarization of the Rhineland is annoying because the Weimar Republic is weak and had many rebellions. But in April 1920, when the Germans sent troops to the Rhineland to stop the riots, the French invaded. The Germans say that not even sending troops to places in Germany is a national insult. However, although the Allies did not allow Germany to join the military, they did not allow Germany to join the League of Nations. This is an insult, and it also means that Germany will never be able to get fair treatment from other countries, without an army or controversy. The Germans also hated compensation, and it was finally set at 36.6 billion euros (1921), to be paid in installments until 1984. They did not accept that Germany caused all the losses. They believe that this huge sum of money is aimed at destroying their economy and starving their children. Most importantly, they hate repairs because they also have to do reconstruction work. The German economy was destroyed, but the country was unable to inject investment into German industry. Instead, it had to remit huge sums of money to Germany, and German industry was not enough to make money.
Finally, the territorial provisions of the Treaty of Versailles also angered the Germans. Germany lost 10% of its territory. Saar is a precious coalfield, and West Prussia and Upper Silesia are rich agricultural areas, so its losses further weaken the German economy. The disappearance of the Polish corridor separated East Prussia from Germany and further harmed the German economy. Germany lost 16% of its coal reserves and half of its steel industry. The loss of the right to all German colonies was considered to be only the construction of the British Empire. Malmedy lost to Belgium, Schleswig lost to Denmark, Memel lost to Lithuania, especially Alsace-Lorraine lost to France2013 is also a national shame. The Treaty of Versailles also banned Anschluss and Austria. This seems unfair to the Germans, because, throughout Europe, the 1919 treaty gave people the right to self-determination, but divided Germany and distributed 12% of its population to other countries.
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