Introduction Flashcards
When Germany went to war in 1914, what was it already under and why?
it was already under political strain. Because, the parties in the Reichstag had made a political truce to support Kaiser Wilhelm II and his military high command. However, the Kaiser was not a capable war strategist and the military high command, led by Paul von Hindenburg and Erick Ludendorff, began to run Germany as a military dictatorship. The Reichstag still met, but the high command ignored it.
What did Hindenburg and Ludendorff do to Germany as High command?
They took Germany almost to the point of collapse, both economically and militarily, in the face of growing social unrest and political discontent.
When USE joined the war against Germany in 1917, what did Ludendorff suggest to the Kaiser?
he suggested that unrest might be calmed by a change in government. The rather cynical ‘revolution from above’ was put in place
What change of government took place?
The army leaders stepped down. A new gov, led by Prince Max of Baden, was formed from the majority parties in the Reichstag. It inherited a country that had huge economic difficulties and was closer to losing the war than anyone other than the German military high command realised. It also, for all its democratic airs, still had a Kaiser
What did the Treaty of Versailles do?
it cast a huge shadow over German politics for the next 21 years and helped sweep Europe into war again
