Consequences of the Treaty of Versailles

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Due to the treaty's harsh requirements and severe punishments, Germany as a whole was sent into an economic free-fall. This depression was the main cause of the treaty; however, in response to this, worse outcomes resulted. Germany at the time had not been able to fully pay the $33 billion that they were required to because the demand had set them into an economic instability. As a result of this, the people were in dire need of a new leader, one who could lead them to days of peace, to a time of prosperity once again. This is where Adolf Hitler walked onto the stage. Even though he had been a prominent figure within the government, he had not been renowned until he began a journey to become the Chancellor of Germany. He achieved this position completely legally however, contrary to other individuals’ beliefs, because the people needed someone to redeem them from the hole of depression and hatred that the world had thrown them into. Once there, he began an epidemic, one that infected the entire German population. He reminded Germans as to who they were and that they should be above all other nations; they were the elite. They did not deserve the humiliation accorded to them because of the treaty. He would help them retrieve their glory.  Throughout his speeches and campaigning, however, due to the fact that as a child Hitler went through hard trials, he blamed all problems on the Jews and countries that cursed them with the treaty. Being a very influential speaker, Hitler swayed the people and began the horrendous path towards genocide and war with the world, a war that became known as WWII. All these were the aftermath of the first wrong decision made in the Treaty of Versailles: the choice to not allow Germany to partake in the making of the treaty, which brought forth failures and consequences that destroyed hundreds of lives through the consequence of WWII.