Final answer:
The Treaty of Versailles caused bitterness in Germany due to harsh penalties, territorial losses, humiliations like the war guilt clause, and heavy reparations, which all contributed to the rise of extremism and set the stage for WWII.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Treaty of Versailles is often referred to as peace on quicksand because it placed punitive conditions on Germany that sowed resentment and unstable foundations for future peace.
The immediate effects on Germany included a severe reduction in military capabilities, territorial losses, and heavy reparations which led to economic hardship and national humiliation.
To explain why Germany felt bitter, one must consider the “war guilt clause,” territorial adjustments like the return of Alsace and Lorraine to France, and the colossal debt imposed upon an already struggling economy.
This bitterness and the economic vulnerability paved the way for extremist ideologies to take root, eventually leading to the rise of the National Socialists and World War II.