World War 1 Notes
MODERN HISTORY STUDY NOTES NATIONAL STUDIES Germany 1918-1939 WEIMAR REPUBLIC: Revolution and The Birth of the Weimar Republic Emergence of the Democratic Republic and the Impact of the Treaty of Versailles THE GERMAN HIGH COMMAND
- Prior to World War II, Germany had a parliamentary system with two houses, but it was not a democracy. Only the lower house (The Reichstag) was elected by all German males over 25 years of age. The upper house (The Bundesrat) was appointed by the Kaiser. - The Kaiser had the power to declare war, conduct foreign affairs and appoint the chancellor and the ministers. - The Reichstag could not make laws; it could only amend them or delay their passage. - At the beginning of the war, the Kaiser and the Prussian War Minister had control over the direction to solve Germany’s food, fuel and munitions shortages, nor was it successful in mobilizing labour and industry effectively. - In 1916, the German people called for their military leaders Paul von Hindenburg (Commander of the German Army) and Erich von Ludendorff (First Quartermaster General of the German Army) to take control of the government and the war effort. Hindenburg and Ludendorff’s government was known as the German High Command.
THE FORMATION OF A DEMOCRATIC GERMAN GOVERNMENT
- By September 1918, the German High Command realised the war was lost and sought an armistice. - The Allies stated they would only negotiate with a democratic German government. - In order to begin peace negotiations with the Allies, Hindenburg and Ludendorff demanded the institution of a civilian democratic government that was supported by the Reichstag. - Prince Max of Baden was appointed Chancellor and he immediately sued the Allies for an armistice.
MUTINY AND REVOLUTION
- As news of a proposed armistice (ceasefire) spread, it caused mutiny in the armed forces. - With civil war looming, the majority socialist part in the Reichstag, the Social Democratic Party (SPD), threatened to withdraw support from
- Prior to World War II, Germany had a parliamentary system with two houses, but it was not a democracy. Only the lower house (The Reichstag) was elected by all German males over 25 years of age. The upper house (The Bundesrat) was appointed by the Kaiser. - The Kaiser had the power to declare war, conduct foreign affairs and appoint the chancellor and the ministers. - The Reichstag could not make laws; it could only amend them or delay their passage. - At the beginning of the war, the Kaiser and the Prussian War Minister had control over the direction to solve Germany’s food, fuel and munitions shortages, nor was it successful in mobilizing labour and industry effectively. - In 1916, the German people called for their military leaders Paul von Hindenburg (Commander of the German Army) and Erich von Ludendorff (First Quartermaster General of the German Army) to take control of the government and the war effort. Hindenburg and Ludendorff’s government was known as the German High Command.
THE FORMATION OF A DEMOCRATIC GERMAN GOVERNMENT
- By September 1918, the German High Command realised the war was lost and sought an armistice. - The Allies stated they would only negotiate with a democratic German government. - In order to begin peace negotiations with the Allies, Hindenburg and Ludendorff demanded the institution of a civilian democratic government that was supported by the Reichstag. - Prince Max of Baden was appointed Chancellor and he immediately sued the Allies for an armistice.
MUTINY AND REVOLUTION
- As news of a proposed armistice (ceasefire) spread, it caused mutiny in the armed forces. - With civil war looming, the majority socialist part in the Reichstag, the Social Democratic Party (SPD), threatened to withdraw support from