TODAY IN HISTORY: The Treaty of Versailles (June 28, 1919)

On June 28, 1919, the Treaty of Versailles was signed in Paris, officially bringing World War I to a close. This landmark agreement was signed by representatives from the Allied powers—Belgium, Britain, France, Italy, the United States—and Germany, with Austria-Hungary already dismantled. The treaty formally ended a devastating conflict that had raged for nearly five years, claiming millions of lives and reshaping the global landscape.

The Treaty of Versailles was designed not only to halt the fighting but also to dictate the terms of peace. It imposed heavy reparations and territorial losses on Germany, redrawing the borders of Europe and the Middle East in the process. The treaty is often remembered for its controversial and punitive clauses, which many historians argue laid the groundwork for future tensions, including the eventual rise of World War II.

Signed five years to the day after the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, which had sparked the war, the treaty marked a momentous, albeit uneasy, conclusion to one of the bloodiest chapters in modern history.