In the end of World War I in 1918, Germany defeated begging and accepted the city under the city. As a defeated country, cutting land compensation is naturally inevitable. According to the “Treaty of Versailles” under the city, the victories have established a compensation committee, which is responsible for handling German compensation. This committee is the chairman of France with hatred with Germany, and member states also have Britain, Italy and Belgium. By April 1921, after repeated bargaining, it was determined in London to determine German compensation matters:
The total compensation of Germany is 132 billion gold marks. The 1 billion Mark payable in the first year must be paid by May 31, and then pay 2 billion Mark each year for 30 years. If Germany is not accepted, the contract is sold in the Rugor Industrial Zone in Germany.
However, Germany did not finish the huge compensation of 132 billion Mark. Germany paid only 50 billion yuan one after another, and the payment time exceeded the regulations. Until October 3, 2010, the German government paid the last 66.7 million euros in interest on the French government, and Germany’s compensation was paid before the World War I was paid. What causes the amount of compensation to greatly shrink, and the compensation period is greatly extended? We might as well divide the compensation payment period into several stages to explore it.
Above _ 1919, the leaders of France and the United States in Paris and the United Kingdom in Paris
Determine for compensation: the powers of each ghost fetus
In 1919, the Paris Peace Association signed a peace treaty, but it was until 1921 that the compensation items were determined in 1921. It was enough to see the dispute between victorious national powers on the issue of German compensation.
On the issue of compensation, the most active country is France. In the half -century of France, the German soldiers were in Paris twice. He wanted to plunder German wealth as much as possible and weakened Germany to the greatest extent. On the issue of German compensation, France’s asking price, the lion opened, proposed a astronomical figure of 226 billion, and later he stopped under the interference of other powers.
Unlike Britain and France, Britain does not want to over -weaken Germany. There are three reasons:
First, the United Kingdom should maintain the balance of the European continent and fear that Germany will go bankrupt completely. A French family is independent and becomes a European overlord, which is not good for it;
The second is that if Germany is overwhelming due to compensation, the revolution may erupt and become a red German to the Soviet Union;
The third is that the German economy is not conducive to the post -war European economic rejuvenation and affect the British business.
To this end, the British Prime Minister Laohe George has repeatedly proposed to France to reduce the amount of German compensation, but all were fiercely opposed by France.
Above_ The “Versailles Treaty” is the first time after the World War I, the peace treaty of the victory (the association) to the defeated country (allies), the main purpose is to weaken Germany’s forces.
As for the United States, because the United States did not allow the United States to get their expected benefits at the Association, the US Congress did not approve the signing of the Versailles Contract, and the United States could not get German compensation. But the United States attaches great importance to the issue of compensation, because there are their vital interests:
First, the United States was British and French creditors during the First World War. Britain and France have received compensation to pay back to the debtor. Britain once proposed to buy and sell compensation and war bonds. The United States naturally opposed it. France also jumped out because France could get compensation from Germany, which was much more debt he had paid to the United States.
Second, Americans have discovered that Germany’s science and technology is developed and the industrial accumulation is deep. The loss brought by the war is only a moment. The opportunity to invest in Germany and inject mobile funds. Germany will recover quickly. The machine strengthens the penetration of the European economy.
To this end, the United States actively involved in German compensation affairs and participated in the expert committee as an observer. U.S. Secretary of State Hughes also wanted to engage in an expert committee to set up a compensation plan by the US banker, but was fiercely opposed by France.
The ghosts on the issue of German compensation have made the German compensation problem particularly complicated. With its aggressive situation, France led the formulation of clauses on Germany in the early stage, but the situation soon changed.
Above_ The German economy with inflation after the war after the war
Ruhr’s crisis: France has been humiliated by himself
On May 31, 1921, Germany paid the first 1 billion Mark. But in the second year, Germany said he couldn’t afford it. On December 31, 1922, German Chancellor Gunuo said that Germany’s finances were exhausted, unable to pay compensation, and asked to reduce the amount of compensation determined at the London conference. We need money. In this regard, the United Kingdom stated that it could discuss it, but France was tough, saying that Germany’s compensation could not be less, and it could not be extended to pay. On January 11, 1923, 40,000 troops in United Belgium were dispatched to occupy Ruhur, Germany. The industrial zone forcibly transported the coal mine produced by Ruhr to France and implemented military management for the Ruhr district.
In the French occupation of Ruhr’s behavior, Germany adopted a negative way of resistance. Workers in Ruhr District stopped production, and civil servants did not go to work. The German economy became more difficult, Mark depreciated, and prices rose sharply.
This is unwilling to see the British and American countries. In January 1923, British Prime Minister Baldwin visited the United States and decided to deal with the issue of compensation together. On April 23, 1923, British Foreign Minister Kou Song said that he was in favor of the US Secretary of State Hughes. It is recommended to set up a new expert committee to discuss compensation issues.
Above_ The European territory after World War II
France began to be stiff, ignoring Britain and the United States, but soon found that he could not play. The Ruhr’s workers’ movement has risen, the occupied military expenditures are huge, and the benefits of obtaining benefits from the occupation area have just experienced the world wars. France is full of wars in China, and the masses are constantly marching to protest to withdraw from the troops. After the German government announced the suspension of negative resistance in September 1923, France withdrew from the Ruhr area and accepted the British and American suggestions to re -evaluate the issue of German compensation by the expert committee.
The nine -month -old Ruhist crisis ended, and France showed his strength in the incident. France thought that he was a post -war European hegemon and could be slaughtered arbitrarily, but the result shows that his national strength can no longer support his ambitions. France agreed to the establishment of an expert committee, and had to give the compensation dominant power.
Above_In 1922, Germany’s severe inflation in China, children piled up money on the streets
Relax all the way: Douweis Plan and Yangge Plan
In November 1923, the new expert committee was established, and American bankers Douwes and Magonan were the chairman of the First and Second Committee respectively. In August 1924, Britain, France, the United States, Italy, and Japan mainly met again in London and passed the compensation plan formulated by the expert committee headed by Douweis, that is, the Douwes Plan. The main content is as follows:
1. Association provides a loan of 800 million Mark in Germany to ensure the stability of Germany and pay compensation on this basis.
2. After the plan is effective, Germany pays 1 billion Mark in the first year, which has increased year by year. From the fifth year, 2.5 billion Mark is paid each year.
3. Compensation is derived from consumer goods such as tariffs, corporate profits, tobacco, alcohol and sugar.
4. Establish an international committee to supervise German finance to ensure that it pays for full payment on time.
5. If the opinions of German compensation are different from each country, the referee of the International Arbitration Commission is made by the International Arbitration Commission.
This plan is made by Americans, and there is no doubt that the will of Americans and British. That is, it does not weaken Germany too much, and even helps Germany recovery, and obtain benefits from the economic rejuvenation of Germany. The Douwes Plan did not reduce the amount of German compensation, but it brought borrowing and investment to Germany. Germany received 13.5 billion macar foreign capital from 1924 to 1928 (mainly Americans’ investment). At the high speed of 6%per year, the “Gold 20s” ushered in.
Above_DaWesplan is a report on solving German compensation issues proposed by the Dorwos Commission
By 1928, Germany made a request to further modify the compensation plan. One is to use the so -called “economic difficulties” as an excuse to further reduce compensation. The other is to say that they have always paid the compensation honestly.
In this regard, Americans who obtained huge investment benefits from the German recovery were glad to accept Germany’s request and continued to relax Germany. They could not only earn tickets by themselves, but also expand his right to speak to Europe. The “Yangge Plan” was launched in June 1929 and was approved in January 1930. The main content is:
1. The compensation was reduced to 113.9 billion marks, which was repaid for 59 years.
2. The annual compensation is divided into two parts, and some of the 600 million marks must be paid on schedule. Some of 1.4 billion marks must be extended for up to 2 years.
3. Cancel down fiscal supervision of Germany and set up an international clearing bank to be responsible for compensation. Of course, the bank is led by Americans.
After the “Yangge Plan” passed, the Xiexiang successively withdrawn from the Rhein district, completely ending its military occupation against Germany. In this way, with the support of the United States and Britain, Germany further opened the shackles of the defeated country, and further liberated the issue of compensation.
Above_Horbert Clark Hoover (August 10, 1874 -October 20, 1964), the 31st President of the United States
Economic crisis, compensation terminates
In 1929, a large -scale economic crisis broke out in the world’s major capitalist countries. The German economy was deeply harmed. Germany Xingdengbao took a tens of thousands of fires to the US President Hoover, saying that he couldn’t pay for it. You give me an idea.
The United States itself is also in crisis, but the United States has huge investments in Germany. If Germany breaks at this time, it will be tantamount to worsening. So the United States immediately launched a Declaration of Debt, saying that it was the debt and principal and interest of the debt between countries for one year, so as to make everyone breathe and spend difficulty together. But stop paying does not mean cancellation. The US war bonds still have not reduced a penny. As for Germany’s compensation, it is your European business. You Europeans discuss it.
Above_Lessor Economic Decher in Germany after the World War II
Britain and France and other countries repeatedly negotiated the US declaration. In the end, the result of German compensation cannot be canceled, but it can be delayed to pay and push it to replenishment after 1933. company.
By 1932, the economic crisis did not improve, but it continued to deteriorate. German compensation could not be repaid to Britain and France. Concerning and reaching an agreement, the compensation for Germany has been reduced to only 3 billion marks, and it has been paid for 3 years and paid off in 37 years.
But at this time, the German Nazis came to power, and Hitler was unwilling to pay even at this point, completely canceling the obligation to compensate. Britain, France and other countries also use Germany to not pay compensation as an excuse and do not pay debt to the United States. The issue of war debt is not the case. At this point, Germany has accumulated a total of 36 billion Mark.
Above_Hedler and Nazi Party
Take the initiative to repay the debt, the old thing is reinstated
By the end of World War II, in 1952, after 20 years of the World War I, the compensation for World War I was suddenly raised again, and this time, the issue of compensation was actually in Germany itself.
It turned out that Germany, which was beaten in the end of World War II, actively needed international support. In this way, you must gain the trust of the victor. Through the initiative to make a payment compensation, it can prove to the world that Germany is a reliable lender and a trusted country. In 1953, Federal Prime Minister Adenner signed a new debt agreement in London, announcing that the compensation of the First World War was 14 billion Mark, and the compensation was completed in 1983.
In addition, according to the new compensation agreement, Germany will also pay for the interest generated by the Nazi fell in 1945 until the negotiation of the negotiation in 1952, with a total of 251 million marks arrears. The money waited until the German reunification was paid within 20 years.
Above_ The West German Army during the Cold War period
This is interesting. In 1953, it was the peak of the Cold War, and Germany’s reunification seemed to be out of reach. The political symbol of this clause in the treaty is significantly greater than practical significance. To show that the German people’s hope and confidence in the reunification of the motherland.
But who knows that the sea and mulberry fields are unpredictable. In 1989, the Berlin wall collapsed, Su Dong’s drama changed, and Germany really reunited. After the unity, the new German government also really fulfilled the promise of the year and paid the interest of compensation. On October 3, 2010, on the 20th anniversary of the merger of the two German Germany, Germany paid the last money out, and the issue of compensation in World War I finally ended.
author:
Big lion
Correction/Edit:
Lilith
Reference materials:
[1] “History of modern international relations” Tang Xianxing Fudan University Press 2010.2
[2] “German World War I: 100,000 tons of gold and 92 years” Cui Xiangshengyuan flow 2011.1
[3] “Evolution of German Compensation Problems and the Evolution of European Political Performance in the 1920s” Xiao Defang’s historical teaching issues 2000.4
The text is created by the team of History University, and the picture comes from the author of the online copyright to the original author.