The Treaty of Versailles was signed on June 28, 1919, by Germany and the Allied Nations, formally ending World War One. The purpose of the treaty was to force the Central Powers, particularly Germany, to take the blame for the destruction caused during World War I, pay reparations to Allied Forces, and give up all the land they took during World War I. The treaty also outlined the conditions of peace between Germany and the victorious Allies, led by the United States, France, and the United Kingdom. Key provisions of the treaty included:

• Financial Reparations: Germany was required to pay financial reparations to the Allied Forces.

• Disarmament: Germany was required to disarm.

• Territorial Losses: Germany was required to lose territory and give up all of its overseas colonies.

• Creation of the League of Nations: The treaty called for the creation of the League of Nations, an institution that President Woodrow Wilson strongly supported and had originally outlined in his Fourteen Points address.

The treaty was very harsh, and Germans grew to resent the strict punitive measures imposed by it. Despite Wilsons efforts, including a nationwide speaker tour, the Treaty of Versailles was rejected by the United States Senate twice, in 1919 and 1920. The United States ultimately signed a separate peace treaty with Germany in 1921, although it never joined the League of Nations.