CLEP Western Civ II

Answer: B - France and Belgium occupied the Ruhr Basin because Germany was struggling to pay its reparations. Having been blamed for World War I, Germany was expected to pay France, Belgium, and England in spite of the catastrophic depression that devastated the economy. In lieu of cash, the French and Belgians decided that they could seize natural resources, particularly those from mining in the Ruhr Basin, as repayment. In response, the German government ordered the miners to quit work, resulting in the occupation. Britain disagreed with this strategy and refused to participate. This occupation added further insult to injury and exacerbated Germany's dramatic economic problems.