Collapse Of Imperial Germany/ Abdication Of The Kaiser Flashcards
1
Q
June 1914?
A
- Heir to Austro Hungarian empire assassinated
- Sarajevo by Slav nationalist
*WW1 breaks out
2
Q
Reaction to war
Initial response:-
A
- Majority g’s rallied to nation
- Declared Burgfrieden (peace in fortress)
- Marxist SPD- abandon internationalism
- support war effort - Govn acknowledged trade unions/working class leaders-important helping war effort
- Govn promised quick victory + rewards? for people’s efforts
2
Q
Reaction to war
Plan for quick victory:-
A
- 1914- German High Commands plan for quick victory ❌
- prolonged war on 2 fronts ↕️
- ?? not economically/militarily prepared
*1917- Allies naval blockade
=severe shortages- food/raw materials
- 1917-Burgfrieden breaking down- G’s ➗ over war
- ❓why ??still fighting (-many esp socialists)
- Initially seen-defensive war not war of conquest
- April 1917- radicals opposing war broke w/ SPD - form independent socialist party (USPD)
*Reichstag vote peace resolution-
“a peace of understanding + permanent reconciliation of people’s…”
3
Q
Reaction to war
Govn:-
A
- govn ⬆️ingly dominated by Generals
- 1916- general Ludendorff/ Field Marshall Hindenburg= virtual military dictatorship
- Dominated military/political/economic decisions
- Block opportunities for compromise peace
- Assertive German nationalists demand Siegfriede (peace through victory) w/ ?? land gains in west/East/oversea
4
Q
Military defeat?
A
- Autumn 1917-growing economic/military crisis
- near starvation
- military supplies critically short - April 1917-?? entered war against?? (large no. US troops expected in EU)
- comms seize power in?? /March 1918-?? Treaty of Brest-Litovsk (??major territory gains)
- ?? harsh Treaty of Bucharest-peace w/ Romania
- ?? now only fighting western war front
- General Ludendorff ➡️soldiers -victory in months
- March 1918-German attack nearly broke through Allied lines-US troops arrive-stop German advance
- August 1918-tide of war reversed
- 2m US troops reinforced allies
- ?? allies (Bulgaria/Turkey/Austria/Hungary)-verge of collapse seeking peace
- German generals realised inevitable defeat
- troops gradual retreat to German frontier
- at home-growing unrest
- economic crisis
- civilian/military morale ⬇️ - danger of rev
5
Q
Creation of democracy in GY
A
SEPT 1918
*??faced defeat
*General Ludendorff persuade Kaiser:-
-hand power to civilian govn under Reichstags
control
-Urged immediate Armistice
2 reasons:-
1-hope new civilian Govn get better peace terms from allies 2-hope new civilian govn blamed for??defeat bc have to end war
- Generals reputations intact/maintain position after war
- Mask responsibility for??defeat
6
Q
Monarchy to democratic govn in 6 weeks
A
- OCT 1918-form new democratic govn based on Reichstag
- ‘A revolution from above’-initiated by ruling class itself
- economic discontent/war weariness =growing unrest
- G’s promised/expect “great victory”but face defeat
- cause wave of unrest ‘the German revolution’ - 1918-19: ‘revolution from below’
- Late OCT 1918-sailors⛵️from naval bases Kiel/Wilhelmshaven refuse final battle (for ??’s honour)-last weeks of war
- News?spread-encourage creation of sailors/soldiers/workers councils in ??
- challenged authority of state govn
- 9 November 1918-kaiser abdicates throne-avoid full-scale socialist/comm rev
- hand Chancellorship to moderate Socialist leader Ebert
- 11 November 1918 -2 days after new govn established- declared ceasefire/signed armistice