The Treaty of Versailles

The Treaty of Versailles which ended World War I was full of problems. It was very ineffective as a peace treaty in that it was one of the primary reasons for World War II to start.
First, it called for Germany to take full blame for the outbreak of the first World War. Secondly, it took important and vital areas of land away from Germany. Finally, and most importantly, it demanded extreme payments of war reparations to the victor nations. It is little wonder then that Germany was unable to recover from the First World War. The Weimar Republic (the country established in Germany after the First World War) would collapse very soon after it was created.
These conditions would allow for the rise of Adolph Hitler. He would find the country very willing to accept a charismatic leader promising to right the wrongs of the Treaty of Versailles and return Germany to its former greatness.