notes and essay plan for Edexcel International A Level history option 1c detailing germany between the years 1918-45, provides tables, details and important information to prepare you for your paper 1 IAL history exam. The documents of notes are organised by parts 1 to 4
- PART 1
1) GERMAN REVOLUTION (CAUSES)
BACKGROUND:
- Second reich born 1871
- Joining of russian states aka (prussian) due to prussian rule
- Kaisers- ruler of germany
- Imperial russia slightly democratic - reichstag - men over 25 could vote
- Kaiser had complete power - could appoint and dismiss ministers without
approval of reichstag- had control over armed forces and international
relations
Wilhelm II, Kaiser between 1888 and 1918, believed he was in sole charge. ‘There
is only one master in Germany and that am I … Whoever opposes me I shall
crush to pieces.’ → shows the absolute power the kaiser had
Before WW1- Germany industrialised rapidly causing a larger
differentiation in classes → trade unions and socialism became popular eg
SPD party was the largest party in the reichstag due to their socialist
views
To me every Social Democrat is an enemy of the realm and of the Fatherland’,
declared Wilhelm II in 1889.- this quote shows the kaisers views on socialism
gaining popularity → seen as a threat to kaiser rule
Historians argue on what system of gov imperial germany was eg. A.J.P Taylor
described Imperial Germany as ‘a dictatorship’ whilst James Retallack – ‘a
semi-parliamentary monarchy’.
CAUSES OF REVOLUTION
1) EXISTING PROBLEMS OF THE 2ND REICH
The issues between an autocratic kaiser, socialist public as well as a
conservative gov → all wanted different things and was divided
- People were suffering at home
- Allied blockade- stopping imports- lack of food
- Food shortages- economy and resources dropped
- Sickness- influenza
- Loss of hope- morale was low
- Influence from 1917 russian revolution → overthrew tsar so they
gained inspirations
, 2) IMPACT OF WW1
- Rulers giving false hope to citizens insuring a win the war which was not the
case
- War itself was an economic challenge- taxation contributed ONLY 16% to
total costs
- War bonds used and money printed → increased inflation leading to
currency losing value and higher prices → between 1913-1918 75%
drop in currency value
- Agriculture not mobilised efficiently → lack of food leading to
starvation and famine
- Ordinary people suffered → people suffered from losses of family
and friends → 2 million soldiers killed and 6.3 million injured
- Living standards fell by 20% due to increased prices and dropping value of
money as well as famine
- Spanish flu in 1918- caused misery disease and starvation around 260,000
killed due to flu in 1918
Initially germany was not politically unified → gov became authoritarian →
by 1916 supreme commanders lundenoff and hindenburg in charge of
country → ‘silent dictatorship’
1915- spartacist group form ed urging to end the war and a socialist revolution
1917- reichstag voted for ‘peace resolution’ urging a peace settlement
1917- 42 members broke off the SPD to form the USPD which was an anti war
radical socialist group
March 1918- bolshevik russia left the war → germany winning became more
unlikely due to lack of materialisation, tired troops, US coming in stronger
troops, failure of ludendorff offense
End of 1918- germanys defeat came as a ‘stab in the back’ to many germans
- GERMAN REVOLUTION (EVENTS)
REVOLUTION FROM ABOVE (29th sept-oct 1918)
Summary- failure of bid to impose new gov of liberals and socialists under prince
max of baden - rejected oct 3rd
1918 sept- general ludendorff and hindenburg tell kaiser that they lost the
war → urged kaiser to appoint a liberal gov made up by members of most
popular parties → kaiser RELUCTANTLY agreed
- Lundendorff and hindenburg didnt support democracy but believed
it would appeal to allies and create more sympathy for germany and
hoped reforms would lead to less unrest → ludendorff wanted to
control constitutional reforms
- ulterior motive was to distract from their own failings and shift responsibility for
defeat in the war from the military leadership to the new government.
, - New gov had to take responsibility of the failures of the past → so
ludenorff proposed the idea that germans were ‘stabbed in the
back’ → vital in the downfall of W.R
SIGNIFICANCE OF ‘REVOLUTION FROM ABOVE’
- Ludendorff resigned completely in November and went into exile in Sweden
- Oct reforms made germany a partial democracy → gov answered to
reichstag instead of kaiser → Kaiser wilhem II felt that his powers
reduced → no control over army and wasnt able to appoint minsters
or dismiss them
NEW PERSONNEL
- New chancellor appointed→ prince max of badel seen as moderate
conservative due to his democratic views
- SPD (democratic party) - phillip scheidemann and centre party- matthias
erzberger
- October 26 1918- ludenorff wanted war to continue but generals
disapproved leading to his resignation but hindenburg remained in
his post → big change in german high command
PEACE NEGOTIATIONS
Peace needed → armistice formed under negotiation by Prince Max of
Badel
LIMITATIONS OF ‘REVOLUTION FROM ABOVE’
- It is possible, that if the 2nd stage of the revolution hadn’t taken place that
Kaiser Wilhelm could have eventually taken back more control. The
constitutional monarchy could have become an absolute monarchy overtime.
Historians believe the revolution from above was a political reform not revolution
- For reforms to work they had to agree with the big parties in reichstag
however SPD and phillip scheidemann wanted a socilalist republic, USPD
wanted a democratic republic, and spartacist wanted a soviet republic
- The ‘revolution’ didnt make enough change to stop the revolution due to false
hope given, failure of war, andv years of suffering
- The revolution from above could be described as Act 1 of the drama or
the 1st stage. If it had delivered sufficient change
REVOLUTION FROM BELOW
- MUTINIES
Admiral Scheer, chief of the navy, 24th oct 1918, ordered the High Seas
fleet to mount a last-ditch attack on the British. He saw it as a matter of
, honour → didnt ask clearance from new gov → scheers actions triggered
the next phase of revolution
KEIL MUTINY- 2nd nov- sailors refused to obey orders in what they saw as
a suicide mission. → fleet returned to its base at Kiel on the Baltic Sea, the
mutineers seized control of the port and set up an elected council of
workers and soldiers → no action taken by gov to put down mutiny so gov
seen as ‘weak’
FURTHER UNREST
Sailors and workers joined together and formed soviets.
- Nov 6th- numerous workers’ and soldier’s councils established
inspired by bolsheviks → in berlin, stuggart, cologne
- Nov 8th- King Louis III was disposed and the socialist Kurt Eisner and
Bavaria declared as a democratic socialist republic
- Nov 9th- Germany was effectively run by SDs at local level.
By beginning of nov → clear that the october reforms didnt impress the
people who wanted the kaiser abdicated as well as immediate peace
negotiation
CHANGES IN THE GOV
Germans wanted the kaiser abdicated → chancellor prince max wanted to
preserve monarchy but delusions of the kaiser made it impossible
9 November 1918 - abdication of kaiser and left wing gov formed by frederick ebert
and germany became a socialist republic
the Council of People’s Deputies formed in Nov 1918 of socialists.
2) POST GERMAN REVOLUTION (EFFECTS)
- COUNCIL OF PEOPLES DEPUTIES
Nov 9th 1918- created by frederick ebert → was a collitation made up of
members of SPD & USPD → different views so the council wasnt unified
FROM SPD- frederick ebert, otto landensberg & phillip scheindemann
FROM USPD- Hugo Haase, Wilhelm Dittmann and Emil Barth
The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:
Guaranteed quality through customer reviews
Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.
Quick and easy check-out
You can quickly pay through credit card for the summaries. There is no membership needed.
Focus on what matters
Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!
Frequently asked questions
What do I get when I buy this document?
You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.
Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?
Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.
Who am I buying these notes from?
Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller samabashir. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy these notes for £8.69. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.
