chapter one Flashcards
by the end of september 1918 …
general ludendorff and the german high command that germany was on the brink of defeat , concluding to avoid humiliation ask for peace terms instead
9th november 1918
kasier abdicates and flees too holland which had been a neutral ground throughout the war
what did the fourteen points primarily include
establishes league of nations
- to monitor future disputes
self determination
- nations rule themselves
general disarmament
what do the fourteen points try and do
create peace and prevent another war
name and describe the two October reforms
prince max of baden as new chancellor
- chancellor responsible too the reichstag new gov established on majorty parties in reichstag including spd
armed forces put in control of civil government
what do the Ocotber reforms signify
a revolution from above , constitutional reforms , as not a result of popular pressure
3rd October 1918
prince max of baden writes to woodrow wilson to request an armistice
how long does wilson take to reply to the armistice and why
3 weeks as wilson though the german high command was using the request to buy time and regroup with a new offensive.
what did wilson request when he replied to armistice
germany evacuate all occupied territory
end submarine warfare
fully democratise its political system
wilsons requests for the armistice effectively …
- almost the effect of this proposal
forced germany to surrender the kaiser
ludendorrf tried and failed to gather support for a last military effort , then resigned and fled to sweden
how did the public react to the request for an armistice
undermined their respect for the kaiser , military and political leaders
shocked
22nd October 1918
a strike in friedrichshafen workers shouted “the kaiser is a scoundrel” and “up the german republic”
28th October 1918
germans navy high command ordered ships from wilhelmshaven to attack british ships in the english channel , refused to obey orders , naval mutiny
3rd-4th november 1918
naval mutiny spread to kiel , mutinied against their officers and took control of the base . following day spread to the city.
6th november 1918
workers and soliders councils springing up , seemed similar to the russian revoloution of 1917 , and from the outside appeared gemany to be close to communist revoloution . but most rebels were patriotic germans and not radical socialists.
8th november 1918
a republic was proclaimed in bavaria and the bavarian monarchy was deposed , shows max of baden had lost control of the situation
SPD 9th november 1918
spd called on workers in berlin to join strikes to force to kaiser to abdicate
threatend to withdraw support from maxs gov if kaiser did not abdicate in 24 hours
MAX 9th november 1918
kaiser refused to abdicate after spd threats
max took situation into his own hands released a press statement saying the kaiser had abdicated
- had no constitutional authority to act this way
max resigns as chancellor
EBERT 9th november 1918
becomes chancellor
the leader of the spd
SCHEIDEMANN 9th november 1918
announces german republic is in exsistence
leading figure in spd
GROENER 9th november 1918
tells the kaiser he no longer has the support of the army
10 november 1918
ebert groener pact
groener telephoned ebert to tell him te army leadership would support the gov , in return groener demanded ebert resist the demand of the soliders councils to democraticse and defend germany against communist revoloution , ebert assured gov resist further revoloution
11 november 1918
ebert signs armistice
22 november 1918
an agreement between the new gov and berlins workers and councils where the gov only excercised power in the name of these councils . temporary fix.
- eberts gov saw councils as expression of revoloution and autocratic system was not abolished until aristocratic states were broken up : the army civil service judiciary democraticsed and key industries nationalised .
19 january 1919
first election of new gov
first election women allowed to vote
turnout 30 million
results of first election 19 jan
spd secured largest share of the votes and largest number of seats in the assembly but not a majorty
- ebert prime minster spd
- phillip scheidemann lead new gov
- coalition with centre and german democratic parties
centre party
catholic intrests in the mainly protestant german reich
strong support in catholic areas of bavaria and rhineland
supported democratic institution
german democratic party DDP
left leaning liberal party based on old progressive party
most support came from intellectuals and middle class
supported democratic institution
german nationals people party DNVP
nationalist party based off old conservative party
most aupport came from landowners and small business owners
rejected democratic institution
german peoples party DVP
right leaning liberal party based on old national liberation party
most support came from upper middle class and business interests
opposed to new republic but willing to participate in new gov
strengths of new constitution
wider right to vote than other countries wome could vote and allowed to become deputies in reichstag and other state parliaments
proportional representation smaller parties can win seates in reichstag
divide into 35 electoral districts , 1 mil voters each
full democracy in centeral and local gov
outlines rights of the indvidual eg all equal before law
referendums can be held by prime minster or if a tenth of an electorate applied for one
weaknesses of new constitution
proliferarion of small parties , could gain representation in reichstag often holding extremist views etc
coalition government , because of proliferation of smaller parties hard for large parties to gain a majorty , so had to join coalition with other parties
article 48
gave president power to rule by decree in exceptional circumstances
how many times did ebert use article 48
136 , some deemed to be geuine reasons , but also when he jsut wanted to override opposition in reichstag
