Great Britain was able to resume their position as the World's bank through the Armistice. Poland's territory was taken from Russia and Germany and given back to them. Hungary became independent and Czechoslovakia and Yugoslavia were formed. Austria wanted to join Germany, but was not allowed to. The Armistice stated that "each nation has a right to their own fate." This was referred to as self determination. Self determination was not applied toward Germany as punishment. It was only used when it benefited the Allied Powers. Self determination also forced different states to repay the United States. .
The Armistice stated that "all territorial conquests achieved by the Central Powers had to be abandoned, and that the German army had to surrender 30,000 machine-guns, 2,000 aircraft, 5,000 locomotives, 5,000 Lorries and all its submarines (http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/FWWarmistice.htm)." The Germans were upset about the Armistice because they thought it was going to be based on Wilson's Fourteen Points. The Armistice also stated that there would be a meeting to discuss the post-war World and to agree on the reparations that Germany should pay for the war. .
The Big Four (France, Britain, US, and Italy) held the Peace Conference in Paris from January 12, 1919 through June of 1919. Russia was absent from this because they feared the spreading of the Bolsheviks. The discussions were influenced greatly by the destructive nature of the war. They ended up drafting the Treaty of Versailles, which was signed on June 28, 1919. .
The French forced Germany into signing the Treaty of Versailles by telling them that they would march over Berlin if they did not sign it. The Treaty angered the Germans because Alsace-Lorraine was returned to France. It also included article 231, which blamed Germany for all loss of life, property, and for all the damage of the war and for starting the war.
