chapter three Flashcards

1
Q

how did Britain deal with war debt after ww1 in comparison to Germany

A

britian enforced higher taxes and government borrowing Germany instead increased borrowing and printed more money

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2
Q

after war what happened to debt and the value of money

A

debt increased
value of money decreased

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3
Q

how is reparations described

A

as a burden

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4
Q

in 1919 how high was the debt facd by the Weimar Republic from the war

A

1.44 billion marks

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5
Q

what two options did Germany have to deal with this , and what were the negatives

A

to rise taxes
alienate support for the new Weimar Republic
reduce government spending
extended welfare benefits = larger expenditure and reduced military spending

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6
Q

although debt was high what had disappeared by 1921

A

unemployment

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7
Q

as inflation went unchecked prices rose
give related statistics

A

1918-19 doubled
1919-20 quadrupled
14x higher than prices in 1913

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8
Q

the government allowed inflation to go unchecked due to …

A

the 1920 coalition led by fehrenbach was dominated by the centre party and supported by powerful German industrialists
- they benefited by taking short term loans out for their business and repaying them at a later date hen inflation had worsened

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9
Q

how can inflation be seen as beneficial to some and the downside

A

1921 unemployment in Germany wa 1.8% compared to nearly 17% in gb
encouraged america to invest

as it went unchecked for so long it spiralled out of control

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10
Q

after t of v included the requirement of reparations how much did the reparations commitee set them at

A

132 billion gold marks
or 6.6 billion in annual instalments

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11
Q

when were the reparations presented too Germany

A

1921

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12
Q

what did the reparations come with

A

an ultimatum to accept within 6 days

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13
Q

what did this cause in Germany

A

a political crisis

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14
Q

how did fehrenbach and his cabinet react

A

resigned due to believing reparations were too high in protest

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15
Q

who replaced fehrenbach

A

Joseph wirth

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16
Q

what did Jospeh Wirth do

A

signed the treaty of Versailles and followed a policy of fulfilment

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17
Q

in January 1922 what did Germany request

A

that the January and February payments were postponed

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18
Q

in July 1922 what did Germany request

A

further postponement of repayments for the rest of the year

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19
Q

in November 1922 what did Germany request

A

a loan of 500 million gold marks and release of obligations for 3-4 years

20
Q

how did the French react to the novemeber 1922 requests

A

suspicious and saw it as an excuse , setting for the 1923 clash between France and Germany

21
Q

how did reparations strain the economy further

A

huge debt already made paying reps hard
germanys gold reserve were inadequate for the amount needed for reps
other reps to be paid in coal but lost large amount of coal reserves in t of v

considered paying in manufactured goods but allies deemed this as a risk to their business

22
Q

how did the allies help worsen the German economy

A

allies hampered germanys export trade by confiscating merchant fleets and imposing high tariffs on improved goods

led to Germany printing more money

23
Q

what did John Maynard Keynes say about reparations

A

critical of 6.6 billion requested and believed 2 billion was germanys maximum figure to be able to pay

24
Q

on the contary what did peukert say in 1991 about the reparations

A

it was manageable for Germany as it only amounted to 2% of its gross national produce and the effects of reparations had been exaggerated and allowed foreign policy to spiral as it supported foreign policy affairs

25
Q

when was the invasion of the Ruhr

A

January 1923

26
Q

who invaded the Ruhr

A

French and Belgian troops

27
Q

how many French and Belgian troops were sent into the ruhr originally

A

60,000

28
Q

how many did it rise too

A

100,000

29
Q

what was the aim of the invasion

A

to seize coal steel and manufactured goods as reparations

30
Q

what policy was introduced

A

passive resistance
no co operation with the French

31
Q

who introduced passive resistance

A

chancellor Wilhelm cuno

32
Q

why could Germany not send troops into the ruhr

A

as it was apart of the Rhineland that was demilitarised in the t of v

33
Q

what did the government do under the passive resistance approach

A

German workers were still paid and paramilitary , civilians organised into military form , infiltrated the French

34
Q

what did the paramilitary do in the ruhr to disrupt the French

A

blew up railways
sank barges
destroyed bridges

35
Q

what did the French do in response to the paramilitary

A

military courts punished mine owners miners and civil servants not complying with them
150,000 germans expelled from the area
132 germans shot including a 7 year old boy

36
Q

what happened to the production rate in the ruhr while it was in control of the French

A

may 1923
deliveries only a third of the average in 1922
1/5 pre occupation at the ruhr

37
Q

economic effects of occupation

A

passive resistance increased expenditure
tax revenue lost from those whose businesses closed and workers became unemployed
germany had to import coal and pay for it from limited foreign currency reserves
shortage of goods made price higher

38
Q

hyperinflation crisis

A

caused food riots the crowds looted shops
gang of city dwellers travelled to countryside to take food from farms greeted by angry farmers
large increase in convictions of theft
barted possesions for vital basics

39
Q

why were social welfare policies bought in

A

those were involved in the November revolution in 1918 (kaiser abdication) were motivated for a better life
large numbers of people needed support as a result of death or injury during the war

40
Q

what was one of the key rights set out in the constitution

A

every German citizen should have the right to work or welfare

41
Q

working day made a maximum of 8 hours
social welfare

A

1919

42
Q

state health insurance system introduced by Bismarck but limited to workers in employment was extended to include wives daughters and the disabled

A

1919

43
Q

aid for war veterans incapable of working because of injury became the responsibility of the national gov
aid for war widows and oprhans also increased

A

1919

44
Q

national youth welfare act required all local authorities to set up youth offices with responsibility foe child protection and decreed all children had the right to an education

A

1922

45
Q

how did social welfare effect government

A

printing of money largely to pay out for these social welfare benefits increasing gov expenditure

46
Q

social impact of hyperinflation winners

A
  • black marketeers that bought up foodstock and sold them at inflated prices
  • those who had debts or mortgages and loans could pay off easily
  • farmers , food was in high demand
  • owners of foreign exchange
47
Q

social impact of hyperinflation
losers

A
  • pensioners living on state pensions
  • landlords reliant on fixed rents
  • the mittlesand
  • the sick rise in food prices malnutrition , death rates in large cities increased
  • diseases associated with dietary deficiency such as rickets and tuberculosis increased