Impact Of War, The Political Crises Of October To November 1918, And Ghe Establishment Of The Weimar Constitution Flashcards
When was Kaiser Whilhelm II announced abdicated?
In Berlin, 9th November 1980 at 1:30pm
What were Wilhelm’s 3 next steps after being forced to abdicate?
. Advised to travel north into Holland (neutral during WW1) for safety
. Just before dawn on 10th Nov, convoy of 10 cars (including Kaiser’s) set off to the Dutch border at Eysen.
. Royal party was kept waiting for 6 hours at border but then continued into Holland via a special train
What did Wilhelm say when he met the German ambassador after his advocation?
‘I am a broken man. How can I begin life again? My prospects are hopeless. I have nothing left to believe in.’
Despite Kaiser saying he was ‘broken’, what shows that he actually settled in fine after being abdicated?
He enjoyed a ‘good cup of English tea’ during Europe’s celebration of the armistice of 11th November 1918
What was Germany’s state in WW1 by the end of 1918?
Allied armies hadn’t yet entered German territory but German forces were retreating along the Western Front
What did Ludendorff have to do to avoid a humiliating surrender in WW1?
Had to ask the allies for an armistice
What did Wilson’s 14 points offer and how did Ludendorff view them?
A basis for peace after WW1 but Ludendorff knew Germany’s autocratic political system wouldn’t work with this.
What did Ludendorff do in response to Wilson’s proposed points and to get better peace terms?
He advocated a partial democratisation of the German political system.
When was Germany created?
1871
What were the democratic elements of the original German empire?
Reichstag:
. Members (deputies) elected by universal male suffrage.
. Could agree/reject laws proposed by Kaiser/government
. Couldn’t remove chancellor/ government
Electorate:
. Men over 25 voted in Reichstag elections every 3 years
. Voted for local state assemblies
Multi-party system:
. Reichstrat (ambassadors for all state governments)
What were the undemocratic elements of the original German empire?
Kaiser(emperor):
. Hereditary monarch (kind of Prussia)
. Anointed/dismissed government
. Could dissolve Reichstag
. Controlled foreign policy and armed forces
Government - chancellor and other ministers:
. Anointed/dismissed by Kaiser
. Proposed new laws to Reichstag
. Not dependent upon support in Reichstag
Electorate:
. Women couldn’t vote (still not as bad as in Britain)
. Written constitution but no statement of individual rights
How can the government of the original German empire be described?
Authoritarian government
What are 4 features of democracy?
. Government chosen by the people
. Frequent free and fair elections
. Every adult has the right to vote
. People have basic civil liberties such as being able to criticise leaders
What were the political parties during the Second Reich?
. Conservatives
. National liberals (moderate conservatives)
. Progressives (liberals)
. SPD (socialists)
. Z or centre party
Which country did Germany have a rivalry with for a long time and which resentment was more recent?
France, Britain more recently
Who do the roots of WW1 in Germany lead back to?
Kaiser Wilhelm II
How did Kaiser Wilhelm II want to be viewed?
. As a strong leader (this meant the army was important to Germany)
What did Kaiser Wilhelm II want for Germany?
For it to be seen as a respected world power
What kind of man was Kaiser Wilhelm II?
Unstable and unpredictable, always felt the need to prove himself
What happened at Kaiser Wilhelm II’s birth?
Had an accident which left him with a withered arm, partly deaf and poor balance
How did Kaiser’s parents treat his disabilities?
They tried electric shocks and a special brace because weakness wasn’t an option for a future Kaiser. These treatments didn’t physically help the Kaiser but changed his personality
How did Kaiser’s parents treat him?
They were strict to him - his tutor was told to make no allowances when Kaiser was being taught to ride, even when he was only 8
What was Wilhelm’s relationship with his mother like?
Strange, wrote letters like you would with your partner
How was Kaiser Wilhelm II involved in England?
. Was sent to visit Queen Victoria on holidays (her grandson) and would have playground trenches and miniature forts
. Jealous of Britains empire, especially their navy, and wanted his own
When did Wilhelm join the army and how did it make him feel?
When he was 18, felt at home despite problems with his arm
When did Wilhelm become the Kaiser of Germany?
1888
What century was the Industrial Revolution in Britain?
19th century
By the start of the 20th century, how had Germany and USA led industrial developments?
. Motor vehicles
. Electricity (lights)
. Aircraft’s
. New guns
.
How did the naval arms race between Britain and Germany arise?
In 1905, huge fleets of warships came about due to industrial developments. In 1906, Britain created the Dreadnaught battleship. As Wilhelm was jealous of this powerful navy, he decided to announce that Germany would be building 4 Dreadnaught’s.
What did the Kaiser and his generals believe in?
German supremacy: wanted an empire to rival British and French empires
How did Berlin population grow under new Kaiser?
In 30 years, Berlin went to a town of 700,000 to a city over 2 million
What did industrial development of factories attract in Germany and how was this a problem for the Kaiser?
Attracted workers, however these workers weren’t interested in Empire. They wanted a share in Germany’s wealth and a better standard of living. Wilhelm rejected these calls for reform and talk of war arose - Britain and Europe worried about the tensions with the Kaiser
What is foreign policy?
A government’s strategy in dealing with other nations
What was the saying to show that the Kaiser wanted an empire?
He wanted a ‘place in the sun’
What were the naval laws under the Kaiser called?
Veltpolotik
What are four features of socialism?
. Not as far as communism
. Higher taxes on the rich
. Promotes equality
. Suitable for workers as wealth is split
How did the rise of socialism occur?
From risen taxes
How did the Kaiser view the rise of socialism?
Threat to his power
What were Wilson’s fourteen points?
Woodrow Wilson’s proposed means of dealing with the aftermath of the war that Germany believed they were getting into when agreeing to end the war
What were the October reforms of the kaiser in 1918?
. Kaiser appointed Prince Max of Baden as chancellor
. Chancellor was to be responsible for the Reichstag and Baden created a new government based on majority parties in Reichstag, including SPD
. Armed forces put under control of the civil government
This massive constitutional transformation was a ‘revolution from above’ to save Germany from humiliation, but also to save the Kaiser’s rule
What was the peace note at the end of WW1?
3rd October 1918 - Prince Max of Baden wrote to president Wilson to ask for an armistice
- Wilson replied three weeks later, demanding that Germany must evacuate all occupied territory, call an end to submarine warfare and fully democratise its political system
Why did Wilson take so long to reply to the peace note?
. Suspicious that the German high command was using the request for an armistice as a means of buying time to prepare for a new offensive
Why did Prince max of Baden believe the peace note would bring about a reasonable armistice?
Talks of Wilson’s fourteen points seemed less radical than what was proposed as a response to the peace note
How did Ludendorff respond to Wilson’s reply to the peace note?
This effective demanding of German surrender was too much for Ludendorff to accept. He tried to organise a last-ditch military effort to resist, before resigning and leaving to Sweden
How did the German people view the peace note?
. Shattering blow to their morale as it was essentially accepting that Germany had lost the war
. The German people had been led to believe that the war would be won, and the news of the truth of Germany’s hopeless military situation shattered the German people.
. Some people lost respect for the kaiser and his military and political leaders
Which groups of German people mainly lost respect for the kaiser after the peace note?
. Civilians who had borne hardships of food shortages (turnip winter) were no longer prepared to show restraint
. Many soldiers sailors lost respect for their officers
. 22nd October - strike in Friedrichshafen, where workers shouted ‘Up with the German Republic.’
How did the November revolution really begin?
German navy’s high command tried to get one last act of resistance, ordering ships from Wilhemshaven to attack British ships in the English Channel
- the crews of two cruisers refused to obey these orders
These mutiny’s developed into the kiel mutiny
When was the Kiel mutiny and what happened?
3d November 1918 - sailors mutinied against their officers and took control of the German naval base there.
- revolt spread to city, where workers’ and soldiers’’ councils were established like in the Bolshevik Revolution in 1918
