Weimar booklet Flashcards
what are the 3 consequences of war?
political economic social Erzbergers peace resolution Emergence of USPD
political consequences, what united the political parties?
Burgefriede 1914 was a political truce that passed laws to finance the war and all parties promised support
political consequences, what gave rise to Hindenburg and Ludendorff?
Victory at Tannenberg 1914 gave rise to Hindenburg and Ludendorf in the silent dictatorship, they only had to threaten to resign and they would get their way
political consequences, what did ASL do?
Silent Dictatorship meant that opportunities for peace were turned down, Auxiliary Service Law introduced 1916 which introduced mandatory conscription and Bethman eventually sacked 1917
political consequences, what increased international tensions?
through Zimmerman telegram 1917 which asked Mexico for military alliance if US joined war, also Germany sank US ship Lusitania 1915 pushed US into war
political consequences, what was a sign of German aggression?
Siegfriede 1917 was a sign of aggression with the Pan German League wanting a ‘victory peace’ where Germany would use powerful position to establish world power status (took on ideas of pan-German league)
political consequences, what made the dictatorship worse?
July crisis 1917 (Bethmann pushed Kaiser on calls for reform in Germany inspired by Russia’s democratic revolution), led to Bethmann being replaced by Michaelis who was weak and could be manipulated by Hindenburg and Ludendorff, gave them more power
economic consequences, what increased German arms production?
KRA oversaw raw materials getting to the German military, they intervened to stop the military crisis, within 6 months they had organised all essential materials (this was quite good)
economic consequences, what caused ford shortages?
blockade and large conscriptions meant able bodied workers were taken away from farming which caused food production shortages
economic consequences, what was part of the Hindenburg programme and militarised the population?
Auxiliary Service Law was the result of the Supreme Army Command determination to increase production by 1916, part of the Hindenburg programme which placed contracts in private hands to increase production
economic consequences, what mobilised the economy?
declaration of ‘total war’ used state power to mobilise economy however the country could not meet the military demands despite all the attempts
social consequences, what did infant mortality rates increase by?
Over the course of the war years, infant mortality rates increased by 50% by 1918
social consequences, how many workers striked?
by 1917 200,000 workers were on strike in Berlin due to bread rationing, shows the population are angry
social consequences, how many deaths were there from hypothermia?
civilian deaths due to starvation and hypothermia increased from 121,000 in 1916 to 293,000 in 1918, during the wars 750,000 died of starvation
social consequences, how many died due to Spanish flu?
1918 Europe was hit by the Spanish flu which killed between 20million to 40million, peoples resistance to disease was lowered by the declining living conditions
social consequences, what happened during turnip winter?
1916 was coined the ‘Turnip Winter’ due to meat shortages and exceptionally cold winter in 1916, people were forced to heavily rely on turnips (was animal feed, humiliating)
EPR, what did Erzberger initially do?
saw worsening state of Germany after Russian revolution, US entered war and other factors culminating in a political crisis with 1.5 million striking, so he conducted his own research into situation and he was concerned about strength of opposition
EPR, when did Erzberger voice concerns?
July 1917 Reistchag discussed extensions of war credits and Erzberger used this as an opportunity to voice concerns, made two speeches arguing for peace to end war
EPR, what was set up to draft peace resolution?
inter-party committee set up to draft a resolution and 19th July 1917 peace resolution approved with an 86-vote majority
EPR, what showed the silent dictatorship?
Military ignored Reistchag and instead said that peace had to ensure annexation of territories, 1918 there was a strong anti-peace resolution message which strengthened military dictatorship
(SPD largest party by 1912, represented workers and they were being ignored)
USPD, why did a faction of the SPD feel annoyed?
December 1915 growing feeling in the SPD about them still supporting the war, 1915 vote on war credits 20 members voted against the it and against party lines
USPD, who resigned from SPD first?
March 1916 Hasse and 18 other SPD members resigned and voted against governments emergency budget, they then formed the USPD in April 1917 due to revolutionary feeling in Berlin and Russia
USPD, who did they support?
USPD supported left wing revolutionary groups such as the Spartacists who were led by Luxembourg and Liebknecht
USPD, how popular was the party by 1918?
January 1918 USPD had 120,000 members and led strikes in the same month involving over 1 million people across Germany