Topic 2: The impact of the first world war

Question 1

Problems faced during world war 1 and how Germany was defeated

Answer 1

• In eastern Europe, Germany’s advance into France ground to a halt in September. Attempts by both sides to break through failed and from 1915 to 1917 the German army suffered 3 million causalities.
• In August the allies launched a big counter-attack and it became clear that Germany would be defeated. In September German general told the Kaiser a ceasefire would not be possible, which resulted in him fleeing to Holland. A few days later on 11th November 1918, the German army surrendered.

Question 2

Successes Germany had during world war 1

Answer 2

• In the East, the war went well for Germany with victories against the Russian army. In 1917 Russia surrendered and signed a piece treaty with Germany.
• In March 1918, Germany launched one last major attack, known as the ‘Spring Offensive’. The attack was effective as in some places their army had advanced 40 miles and the British and French suffered heavy causalities.

Question 3

What did the German people think of their defeat?

Answer 3

• Defeat came as a shock to many Germans including Adolf Hitler.
• Many people had believe that they would win.
• When they heard of German surrender, men like Hitler believed that the German army had been betrayed by the ‘weak’ politicians who had taken control of the country when the Kaiser had left.
• They called these politicians the ‘November criminals’.

Question 4

What problems did the people of Germany face after the war?

Answer 4

1) Economic problems
- Many factories produced weapons and war supplies instead of
goods they had produced before the war.
- By 1918 German industry was only producing 2/3 of what had
been in 1913.
- Gov ran out of money and supplies.
2) War weariness and food shortages
- British naval blockade prevented Germany importing supplies.
- This caused food shortages.
- The shortages caused unrest as some supporters of the Social
Democrats turned against the war.
- In 1917 an anti-war group formed a political party called the
USPD.
3) Low wages and strikes
- In January 1918 there were strikes organised by workers
demanding that the governments and peace negations were
to end the war.
- There was a mutiny at Kiel in October 1918, where crews took
over the Naval base and allied with the dock workers.
- There were also other uprisings led by soldiers and workers.
4) End of monarchy - political change
- The Kaiser abdicated in November 1918 and fled to Holland,
leaving Germany to become a Republic.
- Fredrich Ebert was elected leader of Germany and signed an
armistice with the allies.
- Many welcomed this but some thought their new
government had betrayed them by surrendering.

Question 5

What was the impact of the Treaty of Versailles on the German people?

Answer 5

• The first world war ended with the signing of an armistice. A peace treaty was decided, discussions took place between the countries but Germany had no say in the negotiations.
• They had at least hoped for a fair treaty. However when the Treaty of Versailles was unveiled, people were horrified. France and Britain wanted a treaty that would weaken Germany, and so pressured President Wilson into agreeing.
• The treaty was a ‘diktat’, Germany was forced to sign otherwise the allies would re-start the war.
• The German people blamed the leaders of their new Republic claiming this led to national humiliation.
• The Treaty of Versailles was a key reason for the political unrest that happened between 1919 and 1923.

Question 6

What were the terms of the Treaty of Versailles?

Answer 6

1) Loss of land - Germany lost 10% of its land, which contained 13% of its population. This land included all of their overseas colonies and important raw materials.
2) Armed forces restricted - The size of the German army was seen as a threat so restrictions were put on the armed forces. They are:
- Germany was not allowed tanks, submarines or a air force.
- The navy could only build six battleships
- The German army was reduced to 100,000 men
- Conscription was banned (the gov couldn’t force Germans to join
the army - they had to be volunteers)
3) Blame for starting the war - In the war guilt clause, Germany was blamed for WW1, which allowed the allies to demand compensation from Germany for all the damage caused.
4) Money to be paid in reparations - Germany had to pay reparations, in 1921 the allies fixed the total amount that had to be paid as £6600 million.
5) Germany was not allowed to join the league of nations, which was the organisation set up after war to solve international problems and future disputes between countries.

Question 7

Reparations

Answer 7

• Germany struggled to keep up with the reparation payment to the allies, and in 1922 they announced that they could no longer afford to pay reparations for the next 3 years.
• France didn’t believe this and wanted to make Germany pay.

Question 8

Occupation of the Ruhr

Answer 8

• In 1923 60,000 French and Belgium troops marched into the Ruhr (an industrial area of Germany), and took what was owed to them in the form of raw materials.
• They took control of everything and occupied the Ruhr for 10 months.
• Non co-operation - The German gov told workers in the Ruhr not to co-operate with the French, and to go on strike. This was known as passive resistance. It was supposed to be non-violent but 140 German were killed. Occupation of the Ruhr added to the humiliation Germans felt after the treaty.
• Economic problems - Germany’s economy was weak, and the invasion of the Ruhr made it worse. No money was coming in from from one of Germany’s main industrial areas.

Question 9

Hyperinflation

Answer 9

• The gov printed more money to pay the workers. However the more money is printed the less it’s worth.
• Prices rose at a incredible rate (known as hyperinflation) and by November 1923 the German mark had become worthless.

Question 10

What was the impact of hyperinflation?

Answer 10

• Short term impacts: workers found their wages didn’t keep up with rising prices, there were major food shortages as farmers didn’t want to sell food for worthless money, pensioners were hit badly, savings were now practically worthless, people in debt could pay of loans, could lead to big profits in businesses.
• Long term impact: The Weimar republic was weakened, there was widespread poverty, crime increase, many people turned against the gov as hyperinflation was partly caused by the gov’s own actions.