By the fall of 1918, the Central Powers knew that they could not win. On November 11, 1918, the two sides reached an armistice, which means that they agreed to stop fighting. Even though the fighting stopped on November 11, the war did not technically end until the Allied Powers and Germany signed the Treaty of Versailles in 1919. The treaty changed the map of Europe: Austria-Hungary and the Ottoman Empire were broken apart into the new countries of Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia, Turkey, Poland, and others. The most dramatic part of the treaty related to Germany. Even though there were many causes of the war, Germany was forced to take complete responsibility for all of the destruction and casualties -- all 10 million deaths of soldiers and 10 million deaths of civilians. Some of Germany's land was given to neighboring countries, and the Germans were made to pay an extremely large debt (about $442 billion in modern dollars). Some historians argue that the harshness of the treaty crippled Germany and ultimately helped cause the conditions that allowed Hitler to rise to power.

Question

What effect did the Treaty of Versailles have on Germany?

A
Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia, Turkey, and Poland became part of Germany.

B
Germany was able to reach an armistice with the Central Powers.

C
Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia, Turkey, and Poland were formed from what was once German land.

D
Germany was forced to pay a large debt for the destruction and casualties caused by the war.

Answer 1

The correct answer is:

D - Germany was forced to pay a large debt for the destruction and casualties caused by the war.

This option accurately reflects the impact of the Treaty of Versailles on Germany, highlighting the financial burden placed on the country as a consequence of the treaty.