The Signing of the Treaty of Versailles on 28 June 1919 is the main result of the First World War.
By 1918, Germany and its allies began to be routed by the combined forces of Britain, France, and the USA. This gave rise to political discontent in Austria and Hungary. While Bulgaria withdrew from the war, Turkey surrendered to the Allies in 1918. While the emperor of Austria–Hungary surrendered on 3 November 1918. A revolution broke out in Germany and he became a republic. The German emperor Kaiser William II fled to Holland.
The new German government signed an armistice on 11 November 1918 and the war came to an end. About 53 to 70 million people fought in the war and about nine million people were either wounded or killed during the war. Besides, civilians were also killed because of air raids, epidemics, and famines during the war. The economy of the countries participating in the war was shattered. The Great Economic Depression of 1929–30 is mainly attributed to the war.
The Signing of the Treaty of Versailles (28 June 1919)
The treaty of Versailles was signed at Versailles in France. It was signed by the victorious nations. The main terms of the Treaty were
- Germany was held guilty of aggression.
- He was also required to pay huge war reparations of 33 billion dollars for the losses of the victorious nations.
- The Rhine Valley in Germany was to be demilitarized, and German territory to the west of Rhine was to be occupied by the Allied troops for 15 years.
- Germany lost Alsace-Lorraine to France and Schleswig to Denmark.
- Coal mines in Saar, Germany, were given to France for 15 years.
- Germany lost all her colonies to the victorious nations. Signing of the historic Treaty of Versailles.
- The size of the German army and navy was restricted, and its air force and submarines were banned.
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