Short Term Impact
With Germans having strong impression that its army had not lost the war ⇒ many felt that the country had been stabbed in the back by Jews, Communists, Weak politicians ⇒ when the treaty was signed.
Wave of bitterness against new democratic system of govt ⇒ swept over the people and it was very unpopular.
Medium Term Impact
Germany ⇒ had shortage of people to work + rebuild country ⇒ on top of this → Germany had to pay reparations
Faced a political and economic crisis 1922 ⇒ Germany fell behind in Reparation payments.
- led to the French and Belgian army invading Ruhr in 1923
- Took what was owed to them in the form of raw materials and goods
- this was legal under TOV
- invasion ⇒ humiliating ⇒ killing approx. 130 civilians.
- Workers went on strike when it meant reducing value of payments
Germany’s economy ⇒ disrupted ⇒ when Govt printed money to pay reparations Prices shot up + money became worthless Many Germans (esp. middle class) ⇒ had savings wiped out overnight
- suffered economic hardship and poverty
- blamed the govt for their hardship ⇒ causing political instability
Long Term Impact
Treaty became festering sore for Germans hated it + blamed it for Germany’s problems Feelings were later exploited by Adolf Hitler and his Nazi Party. Nazi Germany Main Note