Germany: A threat to France in 1920?

The Allies understood in 1920 that the German government did not respect th e military clauses of the Versailles treaty. The Interallied Military Contr ol Commission reports showed regular evidence that the Reichswehr strength was far above the 100 000 men prescribed, the German government was tardy i n handing in the weapons to be destroyed by the Commission, and the civil p opulation was not yet disarmed. At the Spa Conference, the Allies demanded the strict application of the pe ace treaty. A certain number of clauses were quickly fulfilled, but on the eve of January 1st 1921 deadline, the Commission noted many shortcomings. T he French Minister of War, Andre Lefevre, overestimating the German danger, preferred resigning on December 16th 1920: being in favor of a two-year co nscription, he was forced to propose a law reducing that period to 18 month s, mainly for financial reasons. As a matter of fact, the German Army did not represent a danger for French security, even if the 100 000 Reichswehr forces were mainly commissioned an d non-commissioned officers, and even if Bavaria refused to dissolve the Ei nwohnerwehren. Consequently, in March 1921, this disregard for the Spa prot ocol led the Allies to occupy Ruhrhort, Dusseldorf and Duisburg.