Why was it that Germany had to pay the price for World War I?

Stew54

Because the countries that won allowed that victory to run away with them at the Paris Peace Conference. They had an opportunity to settle all sorts of boundary and other disputes that had destabilised Europe, but instead set out to punish Germany as hard as they could and grab as much as they could in terms of loot. This was particularly exemplified in the War Guilt Clause in the Treaty of Versailles, which forced the Germans to accept sole responsibility for starting the war and to pay massive economic reparations to the victors. The resulting issues and the sense of injustice created in Germany was used by the Nazis when they began their rise to power, and was one of the major causes of WWII. Dec 10 04, 7:26 PM

picqero

Germany didn't pay the costs of WWI. Millions of British, French, and other allied soldiers died or were seriously wounded with subsequent hardship for their families. None of this was compensated for by Germany. Unfortunately there were too many treaties between European nations, and too many military and political leaders with 'dinosaur' brains around at the time, so this unnecessary war, its massive suffering and its consequences, including WWII, were virtually inevitable. Sadly the 'dinosaurs' of war + politics mentality seem to be re-gaining power! Dec 11 04, 1:43 AM