Impact of WW1 1914-1923 Flashcards
How did most Germans feel about the war in1914?
popular and patriotic Germans believed it would end quickly
How had German’s attitudes surrounding the war changed by 1915-16?
- the british navy stopped ships getting food into germany leading to food shortages
- protestors demanded an end to the war
- demonstrations increased from 500 to 10,000 people
- soldiers were war down by bombs, gas and and machine gun fire
How was Germany politically unstable near to the end of WW1?
- Germany was close to defeat
- a flu epidemic killed many already weak from a poor diet
- Army General Ludendorff stated that Germany could not win the war and he advised the Kaiser to make the country more democratic so the winning Allies would treat Germany more fairly
- the Kaiser transferred some of his powers to the Reichstag but more demonstrations followed from the dissatisfied Germans
What did the German navy in Kiel do in 1918? What did this spark?
- mutinied
- soldiers sent to deal with he protests joined them
- workers’ and soliders’ councils were governing towns and cities all over Germany
- the Kaiser’s army generals refused to support him
Following increased protests from the German people, what did the Kaiser do in 1918?
- abdicated
- secretly left Germany
Who took over following the Kaiser’s abdication?
Friedrich Ebert, the leader of the SPD (Germany’s largest political party)
What were the first things that Ebert did?
- promised to hold elections
- ended the war
What impact did the war have on Germany?
- virtually bankrupt
- further divided society
- increased political instability
Why was Germany virtually bankrupt following its surrender from WW1?
- borrrowed vast sums of money to pay for the war
- lent money to its allies
- factories were exhausted
- a lot of war pensions needed to be paid which would cost the government a fortune
How was German society further divided following its surrender form WW1?
- increased financial inequality as some factory owners had made a fortune during the war wile workers had restrictions placed on their wages
- some people thought that women working in factories during the war damaged traditional family values
Why was Germany politically unstable following the end of WW1?
- many ex-soldiers and civilians felt that politicians betrayed Germany by ending the war
- there was mutiny and revolution nationwide
What’s were the weaknesses of the Weimar Constitution?
- proportional representation mean meant it was difficult for one party to get a majority making law-making a very slow process
- many groups didn’t like this new democratic system at all like older army generals, upper-class families and rich factories and longed for the days when he Kaiser ruled
What did the Treaty of Versailles state?
- Germany must pay reparations of £6.6 billion
- Germany’s army was reduced to 100,000 men and its navy limited to 6 battleships
- Germany must hand over its colonies abroad
- Germany must never unite with Austria again
- Germany had to accept full blame for the war
How did German’s react to the Treaty of Versailles?
- many felt it was too harsh
- they called it a ‘diktat’ as they were order to sign the Treaty without discussion
- many felt they had not really lost the war and that’s Germany’s new politicians had betrayed the country
Why did French and Belgian troops invade the Ruhr region?
- the reparations were set to be paid in yearly instalments
- when the 2nd instalment was due the Germans announced that they could not afford to pay
- the French and Belgians didn’t believed so decided to take what they were owed by force
- their soldiers marched into the Ruhr
