What did the Treaty of Versailles primarily address following World War I?

The Treaty of Versailles primarily addressed the terms of peace and reparations for Germany following World War I. It was a pivotal document that aimed to officially end the war and lay out the consequences for the Central Powers, particularly Germany. The treaty imposed significant military restrictions on Germany, reduced its territorial claims, and mandated reparations payments to the Allied powers as compensation for the damages caused during the war. This included the loss of territory and overseas colonies, military limitations, and economic penalties intended to weaken Germany and prevent future conflicts.

This focus on peace terms and reparations distinguishes the treaty from other elements such as military alliances or economic sanctions. While aspects of military alliances and territorial claims were part of the broader post-war negotiations, the central aim of the Treaty of Versailles was explicitly to create a framework for concluding the war and addressing Germany's role in it. The reparation payments also played a significant role in the subsequent economic instability in Germany, contributing to the rise of political movements that shaped the interwar period.