Tommy Doesn't Know What Day It Is

[Louis VI the Fat]

Bankrupting germany with reparations was one of the main things leading to WWII. They couldn't pay, so we lent them money which they payed to the british, who used it to pay back loans they owed us if I remember it right. I don't remember how it fell apart exactly or how it was tied to the great depression.

Germany wasn't bankrupted because of reparations. (Neither were France or Belgium, even though both payed the lion's share of reparations - some 95% to Germany's 5%)

Germany was perfectly capable of paying. And it could borrow all the money it needed. Contrary to lingering propaganda, Versailles didn't seek nor resulted in a crippled Germany. It wanted a viable, functioning Germany.

The runaway inflation of the early twenties was caused by German policians in a deliberate bid to undermine the Versailles system, not because it couldn't pay or had to pay so much.

After this policy of deliberate inflation was ended, Germany enjoyed enormous economical growth again. The very small sum Germany had to pay (could borrow) was no impediment to affluence and growth whatsoever.

Versailles nor the reparations were tied to the Great Depression. This was an international phenomenon.

Germany was not required to pay anything since before Hitler gained power, in 1932.

After Germany had started WWII, Germany was condemned to pay the reparations for WWI after all. They will finish paying in 2020.



Maniac - nope, everything in my post is quite correct. History, as they say, is a matter of interpretation.