Question

Use the excerpt to answer the question. Germany has despoiled her neighbours of everything she could make use of or carry away. Germany has destroyed the shipping of all nations in the high seas, where there was no chance of rescue for their passengers and crews. It is only justice that restitution [payment] should be made, and that these wronged peoples should be safeguarded for a time from the competition of a nation whose industries are intact and have even been fortified by machinery stolen from occupied territories. —from an Allied letter in support of the draft peace terms to end World War I, 1919 The excerpt supports which idea about the Allies’ view of Germany? Germany required resources. Germany deserved punishment. Germany held disputed territory. Germany captured prisoners of war.

Answer 1

The excerpt suggests that the Allies believed Germany deserved punishment for its wartime actions. It indicates support for the need for restitution and protective measures against Germany's intact and potentially competitive post-war economy. This stance was embodied in the Treaty of Versailles, which imposed heavy reparations and restrictions on Germany.

Step-by-step explanation:

The excerpt from an Allied letter in 1919 supports the idea that the Allies viewed Germany as deserving punishment after World War I. The Allies believed that Germany had not only taken resources from its neighbors but had also disrupted international trade and committed acts of destruction. They argued that Germany should make restitution for these wrongs and that protection was necessary from a country with industries that benefited from war at the expense of others.

Following the war, the Treaty of Versailles imposed harsh penalties on Germany, including reparations that demanded significant resources such as gold, coal, and timber, as well as the reduction of military capabilities. These reparations gravely impacted Germany's economy and contributed to political instability and resentment that would later fuel World War II. The treaty's intent to prevent Germany from becoming a threat again was underpinned by a desire to see the nation held accountable for its actions during the war.