End of WW1 Flashcards
When was the autocratic Kaiser Wilhelm II forced to abdicate by his own people?
9th Nov 1918.
Give 2 examples of the revolutionary atmosphere there was, leading up to the Kaiser’s abdication.
1) Kiel Mutiny
2) Dock workers and sailors took control of the dockyard
What was the Kiel Mutiny?
Where German soldiers refused to fight the British Navy.
When was the Kiel Mutiny?
29th Oct 1918.
When did dock workers and sailors join together to take control of the dockyard?
4th Nov 1918.
In what two dockyards did the government lose control?
Bavaria and Hamburg.
How many sailors were involved in the dockyard takeover?
40,000.
Many civilians were angry at the Kaiser for the failures and hardships of WW1, leading to his abdication. Name some of these problems that Germany faced.
1) Food shortages- 500,000 deaths
2) Feeling that the army would collapse- 2m soldiers lost
3) Debt from military spending- $37bn
What led to the food shortages at the end of WW1?
The allied blockade of German ports.
The allied blockade of German ports led to how many deaths by starvation?
500,000.
How many German soldiers were lost by the end of WW1?
2 million.
How much had Germany spent on the war?
£37 billion.
What were three impacts of WW1 on Germany?
1) A new government which people were unsure about.
2) Financial problems: $37 billion had been spent on WW1.
3) Social unrest, e.g. Freikorps.
What were Freikorps?
Nationalistic soldiers left unemployed after the end of WW1.
