how did the treaty of versailles lead to world war 2

The Treaty of Versailles was well intentioned, but created
more problems than it solved. It contributed to the outbreak of World War II in a number
of ways:

• The "war guilt clause" compelled
  Germany to assume complete responsibility for the war, which of course is ridiculous.
  There were many causes; but this language was forced upon Germany. Article 231
  stated:

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The Allied and Associated Governments affirm and
Germany accepts the responsibility of Germany and her allies for causing all the loss
and damage to which the Allied and Associated Governments and their nationals have been
subjected as a consequence of the war imposed upon them by the aggression of Germany and
her allies.

• In
  addition to saddling Germany with responsibility for the war, the Allies also insisted
  that Germany assume full responsibility for the costs of the war. Article 232
  provided:

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The Allied and Associated Governments recognise
that the resources of Germany are not adequate, after taking into account permanent
diminutions of such resources which will result from other provisions of the present
Treaty, to make complete reparation for all such loss and
damage.

The Allied and
Associated Governments, however, require, and Germany undertakes, that she will make
compensation for all damage done to the civilian population of the Allied and Associated
Powers and to their property during the period of the belligerency of each as an Allied
or Associated Power against Germany by such aggression by land, by sea and from the air,
and in general all damage as defined in Annex l
hereto.

Reparations were intended to cripple Germany as
well as indemnify the Allies. Total reparations were eight times the entire GDP of
Germany. Had Germany paid all reparations, the last payment would have been made in
1998.

Finally, in attempting to create an "independent
Poland with access to the sea" as Wilson proposed in his Fourteen Points, a portion of
German territory was ceded to Poland even though the people there were ethnically
German.

These several factors caused deep resentment in
Germany, which played into the hands of Adolf Hitler and others who blamed the Treaty
for Germany's post-war woes.