Exactly five years after the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand – the act that sparked off World War I, the Treaty of Versailles was signed, concluding the armistice (peace agreement) between Germany and the Allied Powers. Thirty nations were present, although the principal powers were France, Britain and the USA.

However, the treaty, although designed to implement peace, continued to bring discord. The German government, shocked by the harsh conditions, signed only at the last possible moment. It was outraged by the "war guilt" clause which forced it to take full blame for the war, and by the "reparations" clause, which forced Germany to pay enormous amounts in compensation, which it could not afford in those hard times especially. The German empire also had to be divided between the Allies and its armed forces had to be disbanded.

Germany was not allowed to attend but had to sign the treaty without negotiation. Even some of the Allies agreed that the terms were too harsh. The British prime minister, David Lloyd George said that they were merely sowing the seed of another, greater conflict to come. Unfortunately, his prediction was accurate, Germany later started World War II.

Related link: See The changing face of war - WWII