The Impact of WW1 Flashcards
By 1918 are Germany in a good or bad situation and why
Bad
Huge food shortages
German citizens are unhappy and having to ration food and start to revolt
Compare Britain and Germany by 1918
1918 Britain in very good situation- British Empire is the largest Empire in the world and has blocked off access to Germany via the North Sea
No food shortages so lots of food to feed army
1918 Germany in very bad situation- food shortages as can’t get food supplies in from ships so no food to feed army, citizens are unhappy and having to ration food and start to revolt
When does the Kaiser of Germany abdicate
9th November 1918
What happens after the Kaiser abdicates on 9th November 1918
Ebert declares a new Republic
On 11th November Ebert and the new government agree to the armistice (ceasefire) which ends combat (the war)
Why is the Weimar Republic called the ‘Weimar’ republic
They met in the town of Weimar (Berlin is dangerous as not all Germans welcomed the new republic)
2 key weaknesses of the Weimar Republic
Article 48
Proportional representation
What does Article 48 mean
During an ‘emergency’ the President can rule by Presidential Decree so can make his own rules and laws without approval from the Reichstag
What does proportional representation mean
Seats in Reichstag rewarded as proportion of votes so hard to form democracy and pass laws
Name for German Parliament
The Reichstag
True or false, the Weimar Republic is democratic
True
Formal agreement that ends WW1
Treaty of Versailles
When was the Treaty of Versailles signed
June 1919
Which 3 countries (and people) is the Big Three made up of
France (Clemenceau)
USA (Wilson)
Britain (Lloyd- George)
What do each of the Big Three want out of the Treaty of Versailles for Germany
France (Clemenceau) want revenge
USA (Wilson) want peace
Britain (Lloyd- George) want compromise
4 umbrella Terms of the Treaty of Versailles
Blame
Reparations
Armed forces
Territory
How much did Germany have to pay in reparations as compensation to the allies under the Treaty of Versailles
£6,600 million
Blame meaning in TofV
Germany had to accept blame for starting WW1 under War Guilt Clause (Article 231)
What % land does Germany lose under TofV
13%
5 key facts about territory for TofV
Germany lost 13% land
Germany demilitarise the Rhineland
Alsace Lorraine given back to France
Germany forbidden to unite with Austria
Germany lost the Polish corridor
2 key facts about armed forces under the TofV
Germany reduce army to 100,000 men
Can only have 6 battleships in its Navy
Under TofV what must Germany reduce its army to
100,000 men
In 1919 what 2 key political groups was Europe divided into
Communism (equality)
Nationalism (strength)
When was the Spartacists Uprising
January 1919
Key facts about Spartacists Uprising
January 1919
Left Wing
Want equality
Want control over government and to lead a Communist Revolution
Ebert ordered the Freikorps (right Wing who disliked the Weimar but hated the right wing even more e.g Spartacists) to defend the government
Both leader (Rosa Luxemburg and Karl Liebnecht) killed
Uprising fails
When was the Kapp Putsch
March 1920
Key facts about Kapp Putsch
March 1920
Right Wing
Want to form new government with Kapp as chancellor
Putsch collapsed (Ebert ordered the people in Berlin to go on strike so the Putsch no longer had much support)
Right Wing groups, parties, beliefs and leaders
Racial purity
Hitler
Nazis
Freikorps
Kapp
Belief that only strong people in a nation should have a say
Left Wing groups, beliefs, parties and leaders
Spartacists
Communism
Equality
Karl Liebnecht
Rosa Luxemburg
How did Germans feel about the TofV
Most were unhappy- they had no say in it
When did Germany announce they could no longer afford to pay back the reparations
1923
When was the invasion of the Ruhr
1923
Which 2 countries invade the Ruhr 1923
1923
What is meant by payment in kind
When Germany announce they can no longer afford to pay back the reparations French and Belgium Soldiers invade the Ruhr valley (rich industrial area) to take goods instead that are worth lots of money e.g coal
How did Workers in the Ruhr valley respond when French and Belgium soldiers invaded to take payment in kind 1923
Ordered to go on strike (passive resistance)
How did the invasion of the Ruhr lead to hyperinflation
Workers ordered to go on strike (passive resistance) so economy was weakened with fewer goods being produced
Government still want to pay workers so print money
Workers spend money so Government keep printing more any more money until the value became worth so little
3 groups of people who benefitted from hyperinflation
People who needed to pay of debts e.g businessmen
Foreigners (could afford most things that ordinary people couldn’t
Farmers (food shortages = a rise in prices)
Which group of people suffered most from hyperinflation
Those with savings (became worth nothing)/ fixed incomes
