History Timeline Flashcards
When was WW1
1914 - 1918
Consequences of WW1
- British naval blockade -> food shortages
- Spanish flu (more killed by this than WW1)
- kaiser abdicates and flees to Holland (1918)
- council of People’s representatives set up (1918)
- League of Nations set up (excluding Germany and USSR)
When was the treaty of Versailles?
1919
What were the events of the treaty of Versailles?
- Germany didn’t attend the talks, they only signed contracts
- Germany’s troops were reduced to only 100 000 men
- kaiser abdicates and flees to Holland in 1918
Consequences of the treaty of Versailles?
- Germany had to take sole blame for WW1 (article 231)
- Germany had to pay reparations - bill came to around £6.6 million
- German people had to pay higher taxes
- rumours that Germany could’ve won had the war lasted longer spread -> looking for someone to blame
When was the spartacist revolt?
1919
Aims of the spartacist revolt (1919)
- workers wanted equal treatment and a more socialist society
- to overcome poverty
- doesn’t want to become a political party
Events of spartacist revolt
- Rosa Luxembourg and Karl liebknecht appointed as leaders
- occupied newspaper offices, took over phone exchanges and tried to cause a general strike in Berlin
- friekorps (ex-military) sent to Berlin by government, Rosa and Karl both shot
When was the Kapp Putsch
1920
Aims of the Kapp Putsch
- to overthrow treaty of Versailles
- to overthrow Weimar government and replace with Kapp
Events of Kapp Putsch
- friekorps (ex-military) joined forces with Kapp, refused to help government
- Ebert (president) called for a strike - no phone lines, transport, electricty, etc.
- rebellion came to a halt
- Kapp fled to Sweden
When was the french invasion of the Ruhr?
1923
Causes of the french invasion of the Ruhr?
- reparations had doubled by 1922 as Germany default on payments (didn’t pay)
Events of french invasion of the ruhr
- France entered the Ruhr to take reparations in the form of coal
- Weimar government tell their workers to not mine coal - passive resistance
- France end up mining the coal themselves
When was the hyperinflation crisis?
1922 - 1923
Events of hyperinflation crisis
- Weimar government printed more and more money to pay workers and hand rising prices = hyperinflation
- left Weimar open to a lot of criticism
Impacts of hyperinflation
- January 1923 : price of bread -> 3465 marks
- November 1923: price of bread -> 201 000 000 000 marks
- poor people suffered - lack of basic products
- middle class lost savings and investments
- pensions became worthless, retired suffered immensely
- some used opportunity to pay off debts
- farmers benefited, provided there was a good harvest (they could still produce food)
When was the Munich Putsch?
1923
Causes of the Munich Putsch
- Hitler wanted to gain support
- the hyperinflation crisis had made Weimar look weak and incompetent, in comparison o the Nazi party (one leader, big SA)
- Munich located in Bavaria, very right wing, more likely to get support
- head of Bavarian government hated Weimar
- 20 000 Nazi party members
Events of the Munich Putsch
- Hitler storms beer hall and fires gunshot - designed to intimidate
- Kahr and von Lossow forced to support Hitler’s plan of marching into Berlin, also swore loyalty to Putsch
- Kahr and Lossow went back on their word after Ebert declared a state of emergency
- Hitler kept going - 2000 Nazis + supporters March into Munich but are stopped by police. 14 Nazis killed
- Hitler arrested 11th November
Consequences of Munich Putsch
- Hitler used his trial as propaganda. He was allowed to make speeches by the judge, which were then spread by newspapers. Gave him somewhat of a celebrity status and brought attention to the Nazi party which was still small at the time
- Hitler changed his tactics. As forcefulness didn’t work, he decided to use democratic means instead and become voted in
- Hitler spent 9 months in prison where he was allowed visitors. Shared prison with Rudolf Hess, who typed up ‘Mein Kampf’ for Hitler.
When was Streseman’s foreign policy?
1924 - 1928
What was Streseman’s foreign policy?
- Streseman is made foreign secretary in 1924
- introduces a new currency (the retenmark) and controlled amount of money produced. Currency is now stabilised.