Germany surrenders

Question 1

What did increased production mean for the people on the home front?

Answer 1

The government took control of many factories for maximum output
Women also had to fill in masculine jobs, such as police and agriculture

Question 2

What did food shortages mean for the home front?

Answer 2

• many goods became unavailable and prices rose
• in Germany, the government put maximum prices on goods and had ‘meatless’ days
• in Britain, rationing was introduced to make sure everyone had a fair share
  This was as a result of the naval blockade and the U boats

Question 3

What was the effect of the war on the landscapes?

Answer 3

Areas of France and Belgium were utterly devastated
In France, 75,000 houses were destroyed

Question 4

What did anger cause in Germany?

Answer 4

The suffering endured by civilians created great hatred towards the government and the war itself
1915 - 500 women gathered outside the Reichstag to protest
A year later, 10,000 workers gathered to demand the end of war
Old systems of government were removed by uprisings in 1918

Question 5

How did the Kaisers abdication play out?

Answer 5

• he was extremely unpopular and he reluctantly allowed Parliament to have some power because he was losing control
• sailors on the Germany navy mutinied and soldiers who went there joined in
• the Kaiser lost all control so he abdicated on 9th November 1918 and fled
• Friedrich Ebert formed a temporary government and ended the war

Question 6

Where was the armistice signed?

Answer 6

In a train carriage near the French town of Compiegne

Question 7

Who signed the armistice?

Answer 7

Matthias Erzberger - a German politician

Question 8

What did the armistice say?

Answer 8

• all fighting had to stop within 6 hours
• all German occupied land had to be given back including Alsace and Lorraine
• allies were to occupy some land west of the Rhine in Germany
• Germany had to hand over lots of equipment ( battleships etc)
• Germany must pay for the damage
• The naval blockade would continue

Question 9

How did the naval blockade contribute to Germany’s defeat?

Answer 9

Germany was unable to import crucial supplies it needed. This made continuing the war a struggle and public unrest slowly grew

Question 10

How did the USA’s entry into war contribute to Germany’s defeat?

Answer 10

The arrival of the US was a huge economic and psychological boost for the allies but equally damaging to the Germans

Question 11

How did Ludendorff’s Spring offensive play a role in Germany’s defeat?

Answer 11

It was a last big push, and when it failed it left them in a weakened, exposed state

Question 12

How did the tank play a part in Germany’s defeat?

Answer 12

The Germans did not recognise its value so fell behind in development.
It gave the allies a huge advantage in battle

Question 13

How did the German Revolution contribute to Germany’s defeat?

Answer 13

The hardships faced by civilians led to riots and mutinies which forced the abdication of the Kaiser. It was clear German people wanted the war to end

Question 14

How did the Russian Revolution contribute to Germany’s defeat?

Answer 14

Civilians were inspired by the Bolshevik Revolution so more people wanted to overthrow the Kaiser.
This led to more riots and mutinies

Question 15

How did the surrender of Germany’s allies play a role in Germany’s defeat?

Answer 15

In September and October 1918, Germany’s allies surrendered, leaving it isolated and surrounded

Question 16

How did Foch and Haig contribute to Germany’s defeat?

Answer 16

They used tactics and experience available to them to win the war of attrition.
Others argue that better tactics earlier on would have saved millions of lives but there is no question that the unification of the allied forces played a role