What were the territorial changes brought about by the Treaty of Versailles?

The Treaty of Versailles, signed on June 28, 1919, brought about significant territorial changes in Europe. The treaty aimed to redraw the map of Europe and reorganize territories that had been affected by World War I. Some of the key territorial changes included:

1. German Losses: Germany was the main aggressor in the war and was heavily penalized by the treaty. It lost significant territories, including Alsace-Lorraine to France, Eupen-Malmedy to Belgium, and West Prussia, Posen, and Upper Silesia to Poland. Germany also lost its overseas colonies in Africa and the Pacific.

2. Creation of New Nations: The treaty led to the creation of several new nations in Europe. Austria-Hungary was dissolved, and new countries such as Austria, Hungary, Czechoslovakia, and Yugoslavia emerged. These nations were formed based on ethnic and nationalistic aspirations of various groups within the former empire.

3. Polish Corridor: The treaty established the Polish Corridor, a strip of land that provided Poland with access to the Baltic Sea. This territory separated East Prussia from the rest of Germany and was a significant point of contention between the two countries.

4. Loss of Russian Territories: The treaty also affected Russia, which had undergone a revolution and signed a separate peace treaty with Germany in 1918. Russia lost significant territories, including Finland, the Baltic states (Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania), and parts of Belarus and Ukraine.

5. Redrawing of Colonial Borders: The treaty also led to changes in colonial territories. Germany lost its colonies, which were divided among the victorious powers as mandates under the League of Nations. The British and French empires expanded their territories in Africa and the Middle East.

These territorial changes brought about by the Treaty of Versailles had far-reaching consequences and contributed to the geopolitical landscape of Europe in the interwar period. The redrawing of borders often created ethnic tensions and territorial disputes, which would later play a role in the outbreak of World War II.