USA HISTORY

Detailed explanation-1: -The Treaty of Versailles held Germany responsible for starting the war and imposed harsh penalties on the Germans, including loss of territory, massive reparations payments and demilitarization.

Detailed explanation-2: -The Treaty of Versailles, signed following World War I, contained Article 231, commonly known as the “war guilt clause, ” which placed all the blame for starting the war on Germany and its allies.

Detailed explanation-3: -Although the armistice of 11 November 1918 ended the actual fighting, it took six months of Allied negotiations at the Paris Peace Conference to conclude the peace treaty. Germany was not allowed to participate in the negotiations-it was forced to sign the final result.

Detailed explanation-4: -The war guilt clause of the treaty deemed Germany the aggressor in the war and consequently made Germany responsible for making reparations to the Allied nations in payment for the losses and damage they had sustained in the war.

Detailed explanation-5: -Most importantly, Article 231 of the treaty placed all blame for inciting the war squarely on Germany, and forced it to pay several billion in reparations to the Allied nations.