During WW1 Flashcards
What are some right wing ideas?
- Prefer authoritarian government - power to one leader
- Advocate strong military + foreign policy
- Hostile to change
- Less state involvement + Lower tax to encourage investment
- hatred of communism
- traditional ideals + marriage
- nationalistic
What are some left wing ideas?
- More power to working classes
- Want radical social change
- government heavily involved
- distribution of wealth through tax
- higher tax to the rich/businesses
- revolution to overthrow capitalist driven wars
- hatred of capitalism
- government controls industry, transport, employment and stops rich becoming too rich
- vast programme of social welfare
What are some democratic ideas in Germany?
- Reichstag fully elected by universal male suffrage
- People can vote ; over 80% voted
- People are encouraged to vote
- Federal system; people represented USPD, SPD, etc
- Free and fair elections
What are some no democratic ideas in Germany?
- Kaiser picks Reichstag
- Kaiser can remove people from government
- He can dissolve Reichstag
- Kaiser controls war
- No state with individual rights
What were some Left Wing parties?
Extreme :
- German communist party (KPD)
- Independent socialists (USPD)
- Social Democratic Party (SDP)
- German Democratic Party
What were some right wing parties?
Extreme:
- National Socialist german worker’s Party
- German Nationalist People’s Party (DNVP)
- German People’s party (DVP)
What was the constitution like Pre WW1
——–> the KAISER :
- King of Prussia - Hereditary monarch
- Appointed/ Dismissed government
- Could dissolve the Reichstag
- Controlled foreign policy and armed forces
What was the constitution like Pre-WW1
———–> Reichstag
- Members (deputies) elected by universal male suffrage
- Could agree to or reject laws proposed by Kaiser or government
- Could not remove the chancellor or government
What was the constitution like Pre-WW1
———–> Government: Chancellors and Other Ministers
- Appointed/ Dismissed by Kaiser
- Proposed new laws to the Reichstag
- Not dependent upon support in the Reichstag to stay in office
What was the constitution like Pre-WW1
———–> Reichstrat
- Assembly of ambassadors from the 26 state governments
- Had veto on legalisation passed by Reichstag
What was the constitution like Pre-WW1
———–> Political parties
- Conservatives
- National Liberals
- Progressives
- SPD - socialists
- Centre - Interests of catholics
What was the constitution like Pre-WW1
———–> Electorate
- Also voted for local state assemblies
- Written constitution but no statement of individual rights
Give an example of military success for Germany in 1916 and explain it:
- Brusilov Offensive
- largest Russian assault in WW1
- Russians had capable commander (General Aleksey Brusilov)
- He inflicted defeat on Austro Hungarian forces which their empire never recovered
- Regained land lost to Central Powers early in war
- Hapsburg Empire dependent on German support
What was the Brusilov Offensive?
- Launched by Russia against Austro-Hungarian forces on Eastern Front
- Four Russian armies against Austrian Hungaria - Germany helped their Allies
- Eastern front = Western Ukraine, Poland, East Prussia
- 500,000 died
When was the Brusilov Offensive?
4th June - 20th september 1916
How many German casualties by end of 1916?
1.5 million
Who was Von Falkenhayn?
- Prussian Minister of War
- Commander of German army early WW1
- Responsible for attack on French - Verdun
- Didn’t believe he would win against Russia
What was the Battle of Tannenburg?
- East Prussia -> German Victory against Russia
- August 26-30 in 1914
- Successful attack of Russia -> Two large german soldier groups
- All their force + attacked one group
- Russia retreated
- Germans took 92,000 prisoners, 30,000 Russians killed
Why did von Falkenhayn believe in victory only in the West?
- Had success in East
- Couldnt knock Russia out
- Allies weaker in the west - Gallopoli
How did Germany cope with food shortages?
- Frastz products
- Black market
What were there shortages of in Germany?
- Coal
- Fats
- Clothes
Why was opposition to war growing?
- Food shortages
- Resource shortages
- Longer hours
- Forced labour
What party was created in April 1917 as result of arguments over the support of the war?
USPD
How did Burgfrieden break down by end of 1917 ?
- Calls for Peace resolution
- Strikes
- Protests
What did the German Fatherland Party want?
- To continue war and gain extra annexation of land
What was the Treaty of Brest Litovsk and how did it improve the situation on home front?
- All parties except USPD voted in favour of it
- Gained Germany territory
- Made it seem like war was succeeding
- March 3rd 1918 -> Russia and Central powers signed
- Russia allowed Finland, Georgia, Ukraine to become separate states
- Give central powers to Baltics and Poland
Who demanded Germany begin armistice negotiations?
- Ludendorff
What was agreed in the Revolution from Above?
- Reichstag would have more powers, armistice
negotiations would begin
What was the economic impacts of the War?
- in winter of 1917 -> food shortages due to allied blockade of Germany
- Turnip winter
- Shortage of fuel meant many people were freezing
- Coal production only 90% of production in 1913
- 1913-1918 mark lost 75% value
- 1916 Hindenburg Programme
What were political impacts of the War?
- 1917 Burgfrieden breaking down
- Radicals who opposed war broke with SPD and formed independent socialist party
- July 1917, Reichstag voted for peace resolution
- Hindenburg programme seen as forced labour, rural producers resented because of food prices low : production prices high
- no support for war : 6.2m casualties
what were the military impacts of the war?
- controversial policy of unrestricted submarine warfare, USA joined Allies : April 1917
- Russia defeated + accepted Brest Litovsk -> more resources + territory and germany only fighting on one front
What were the social impacts of the war?
- Many German workers bitter on restrictions of earnings during war; factory owners made fortunes
- gap grew between social classes
- Women called to work in factories, seen as damaging to traditional values
What was the Schlieffen Plan?
To defeat France before Russia could mobilise , then to focus resources on Russia. - invading france through Belgium
- Resistance from belgium troops + British Expeditionary force -> advancement slow
- Ludendorff + Hindenburg 2 victories against Russian forces
