I wouldn't go that far. IMO they got off relatively lightly, comppared to how teh Allies would be treated had the Kaiser won.The Versailles treaty in my opnion was an definite disgrace.
I disagree, things were much more complicated than that.It directly fueled the fire which led to Hitlers rise to power.
Versailles was important but was by no means the only catalyst. The Nazis spent a long time in the political wilderness. Many had initially regarded them as the raving looney party and their election results were dismal. During the 20s they and the Commies undertook a campaign of constantly undermining the elected Weimar government. A number of Far Right uprisings such as the Kapp Putch failed because the workers were unwilling to support them.
Weimar survived the Hyperinflation which would have easily broght down just about any other system but it wa still weak at it''s core. Hitler failed to capitalise on this and the Munich Putch was another fine mess. From 23-29 the economy greatly recovered and peoples living standards rose accordingly. Hitlers name was hardly ever mentioned. In this period Germany enjoyed a period of diplomatic success under Stresmann. The Dawes and Young plan greatly eased the financial burden and the French evacuated the Ruhr in 1925. As well as loans Germany was recieving substantial foreign investment. The inflow of foreign capital lead the WG to embark on a massive programme of public buildings, mainly schools and hospitals. Big business and the nations industry giants flourished, with coal, iron, and steel production approching 1913 levels. German workers benefited as real wages reached pre war levels, hours shortened, and social security improved. As a result strikes and working days lost fell dramaticly.
Ill say it again, no-one was listening to the National socialists and Hitler was right to call these 'the wilderness years'. Without the catastrophic effects of the global recession the National Sociaslists would continue being a fringe party attracting a strange array of fascists, nationlists, anti-semites, frustrated homosexuals, losers and the generally disenfranchised. With the recession people were finally willing to listen and believe Hitlers revised view of history. All of a sudden the Versailles wounds were reopened. People actually believed in the whole stab in the back theory and a Global Zionist Conspiricy to undermine the Fatherland.
Couple this recession with Weimars inherant political weakneses and many enemies (civil service, monarchists, industrialists, junkers far left, far right etc) and the stage was set. Even then Germany was made Chancellor at a time when his popularity was shrinking. Again, the Recession, Weimars weaknesses and it's many enemies were a more direct cause of Hitlers rise than Versailles.
I agree the guilt cause was wholly unnecassary, but the again from a French perspective (invasion, millions killed, economy ruined) things look very differant.Germany born an ridicolous amount of blame for ww1 simply because they fought on when all their allies had crumbled, months bfore
