Revolution 1918-1919 - Military Defeat Flashcards
How did Germans see the war in 1914
Germany was united and determined to win the war
They saw the war as defending themselves from Russian aggression
Left & Right rivals supported the ear effort
What happened as the war progressed
Unity began to fall
Had expected a quick victory
What happened in July 1917
Left wing groups for the Reichstag to vote 212 to 126 to seek peace deal
Right wing believed only victory should end war, wanted a victorious Germany and to expand it’s land across Europe
What was happening to ordinary Germans
They were suffering with problems like foot shortages that threatened a revolution
Who stopped fighting in 1917
Russia and Romania
Germany imposed harsh conditions on them
Had to give up land
What happened in September 1918
Military supreme commander Erich Ludendorff handed power to a civilian gov
Hoped they’d get fairer surrender terms and would be blamed for giving up on war
What happened November 1918
Officially surrendered signing armistice
What did they agree to in the armistice
Give up land
Hand over military equipment
Return prisoners of war
What was the “stabbed in the back” myth
Created by Ludendorff to spread the idea amongst right wingers and nationalists that left wing politicians stabbed the military in the back and that they wouldn’t have lost the war otherwise
Undermined new gov
John Wheeler-Bennett
Ludendorff believed army had not been given proper support from gov. He suggested military had been ‘stabbed in the back’
Alexander Watson
‘stabbed in the back’ idea completely wrong. German military was out of reserves, facing certain defeat and had to surrender
