In 1923, France and Belgium occupied Germany's industrial heartland to collect unpaid war debts
When Germany defaulted on its World War I reparations in 1923, French and Belgian troops seized the Ruhr valley, sparking a massive standoff that sent the German economy into a tailspin.
In January 1923, France and Belgium sent 60,000 soldiers into the Ruhr, Germany's industrial heartland, to seize coal and timber as payment for missed war debts. This bold move triggered 'passive resistance' from German workers, who refused to operate the mines and factories for the occupiers.
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