Who did the Treaty of Versailles require to pay for the total cost of the war?
1 Answer
Mostly Germany.
Explanation:
In the Treaty of Versailles (signed in 1919) Germany had to assume total guilt and responsibility for the war, putting on them a ℳ20,000,000,000 (Gold/Papier Marks) - $5,000,000,000 - fine, which led to extreme hyperinflation in Germany, with prices exponentially rising from 1919 to 1923. Hyperinflation was such, that the price of a product could raise during the time you stood in queue to buy it. On some occasions, people would bring money loaded in wheel-carts. If you weren't paying attention, a thief might steal the cart and leave the money, as within hours, it would be completely invaluable.
Then, in 1923, the Gold Mark was replaced by the Rentenmark, at a ratio of 1 Trillion GMark = 1 Rentenmark. A year afterwards, the Rentenmark was replaced by the Reischmark, which stood in place until 1948.
Germany had to give many territories to neighboring countries, such as Czechoslovakia, Poland, France or, especially, Russia, as the last one had to give away huge chunks of West Russia to Germany when it left the war in 1917 due to the Civil War, in the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk.
Germany also had to reduce its infantry to 100,000 men - less than what Spain has now-a-days, and Germany then - even after giving territories away - was way larger than what it is now -. It also had to reduce to practically nothing other armed forces.
Even though other countries, such as Austro-Hungary, Bulgaria, or Turkey had to give back territories and pay some reparations, these were nothing compared to what was done to Germany.
Hope it Helps! :D .
