This intrigues me. I know Germany just finished paying off its World War I reparations a few years ago.
Really? I thought that they were effectively canceled in the early 1930s. It's pretty crazy if they were resurrected after World War II.
I remember thinking it was odd that they were being held to a debt that was partially responsible for World War II when we spent millions of dollars rebuilding their country as part of the Marshall plan. But that debt was to France, and they're assholes, so it makes sense that they wouldn't forgive it.
While there's something to be said for treating a defeated power leniently, even when it has caused untold destruction, it should not be shocking that France did not go easy on Germany. After all, Germany started a war of aggression against France even though it had already occupied Alsace and Lorraine in an earlier war (which was a war of aggression started by France) which killed 1 million young French men and devastated the most industrialized and productive areas of France.
We may let hindsight color our bias if we label a demand for reparation as 'being assholes'.
France holding a grudge in 1920 or 1950 is one thing, but from the 1970's and on it was just being petty- especially when they were counting on Germany to be the frontlines in the anticipated war with the USSR.
The Federal Republic of Germany was three governments removed from the officials that signed the Versailles treaty; the debt was theirs only to the same extent that modern Russia owes payment of Czar Nicholas's bills.
Still, it took decades for Germany to pay off the rest of its reparations debt. At the London Conference, West Germany argued it shouldn’t be responsible for all of the debt the old Germany had incurred during World War I, and the parties agreed that part of its back interest wouldn’t become due until Germany reunified. Once that happened, Germany slowly chipped away at the last bit of debt. It made its last debt payment on October 3, 2010—the 20th anniversary of German reunification
France holding a grudge in 1920 or 1950 is one thing, but from the 1970's and on it was just being petty- especially when they were counting on Germany to be the frontlines in the anticipated war with the USSR.
I mean, Germany didn't have much of a choice, did it? Anyway, you want to hear something funnier? France supported Argentina in the Falklands War.
Rather strange. It seems that the reparations were greatly reduced and the timetable was extended in order to make it more manageable. Anyway, seems like it ultimately did not amount to more than a token payment. $500 billion in today's money is rather more.
I'll have to look into this, it's an interesting topic.
Really? I thought that they were effectively canceled in the early 1930s. It's pretty crazy if they were resurrected after World War II.
While there's something to be said for treating a defeated power leniently, even when it has caused untold destruction, it should not be shocking that France did not go easy on Germany. After all, Germany started a war of aggression against France even though it had already occupied Alsace and Lorraine in an earlier war (which was a war of aggression started by France) which killed 1 million young French men and devastated the most industrialized and productive areas of France.
We may let hindsight color our bias if we label a demand for reparation as 'being assholes'.
France holding a grudge in 1920 or 1950 is one thing, but from the 1970's and on it was just being petty- especially when they were counting on Germany to be the frontlines in the anticipated war with the USSR.
The Federal Republic of Germany was three governments removed from the officials that signed the Versailles treaty; the debt was theirs only to the same extent that modern Russia owes payment of Czar Nicholas's bills.
https://www.history.com/news/germany-world-war-i-debt-treaty-versailles
I mean, Germany didn't have much of a choice, did it? Anyway, you want to hear something funnier? France supported Argentina in the Falklands War.
Rather strange. It seems that the reparations were greatly reduced and the timetable was extended in order to make it more manageable. Anyway, seems like it ultimately did not amount to more than a token payment. $500 billion in today's money is rather more.
I'll have to look into this, it's an interesting topic.