USA HISTORY

Detailed explanation-1: -Punishing Germany: The Treaty of Versailles. “Many Europeans were more interested in punishing the Germans than in preventing another world war. After all, the United States had been at war for just one year. Its European allies had been fighting for over four years.

Detailed explanation-2: -From idealism to punishment The treaty itself was predicated on Germany’s guilt for the war. The document stripped Germany of 13 percent of its territory and one tenth of its population. The Rhineland was occupied and demilitarized, and German colonies were taken over by the new League of Nations.

Detailed explanation-3: -Initially, France-who was represented by George Clemenceau-wanted to punish Germany for the war they felt the Germans had caused. France wanted to regain its territory in the Rhineland. Great Britain sought reparations, or payments for damages, from Germany.

Detailed explanation-4: -Why might the European Allies have been more interested in punishing Germany than in creating a lasting peace? Germany was the country that pretty much started the war and caused the most damage, so the Allies wanted them to be punished and pay to fix some of the problems they caused.

Detailed explanation-5: -The Treaty of Versailles punished Germany harshly because Allied powers, Great Britain and France especially, blamed Germany for starting the war and the subsequent death and destruction.