Which treaty, signed after World War I, imposed harsh penalties on Germany?

Which treaty, signed after World War I, imposed harsh penalties on Germany?

• A. Treaty of Brest-Litovsk
• B. Treaty of Ghent
• C. Treaty of Tordesillas
• D. Treaty of Versailles

Answer: (D)

Punitive peace terms after a major conflict can shape a defeated nation’s future by imposing economic, territorial, and military constraints. The treaty that fits this scenario is the Treaty of Versailles, signed in 1919 after World War I. It imposed heavy penalties on Germany: reparations to compensate the Allies, substantial losses of territory, strict limits on the German army and navy, and the war guilt clause that forced Germany to accept responsibility for starting the war. It also helped establish the League of Nations and redrew parts of Europe’s map. The other treaties listed come from different times or contexts: Brest-Litovsk ended Russia’s participation in World War I, Ghent ended the War of 1812, and Tordesillas divided newly explored lands between Spain and Portugal in the 15th century. They aren’t the postwar settlement that punished Germany after World War I.

Punitive peace terms after a major conflict can shape a defeated nation’s future by imposing economic, territorial, and military constraints. The treaty that fits this scenario is the Treaty of Versailles, signed in 1919 after World War I. It imposed heavy penalties on Germany: reparations to compensate the Allies, substantial losses of territory, strict limits on the German army and navy, and the war guilt clause that forced Germany to accept responsibility for starting the war. It also helped establish the League of Nations and redrew parts of Europe’s map. The other treaties listed come from different times or contexts: Brest-Litovsk ended Russia’s participation in World War I, Ghent ended the War of 1812, and Tordesillas divided newly explored lands between Spain and Portugal in the 15th century. They aren’t the postwar settlement that punished Germany after World War I.