GERMANY 1918-45
THE GERMAN REVOLUTION
Background

German
superiority on
land & sea in
1914?
From 1914 Germans
were assured by the
army’s high Command of
certain victory.
WAR: THE LOCOMOTIVE OF HISTORY
The Schlieffen Plan failed & two fronts caused
stalemate.
 Germany’s last chance for victory was after Russian
Brest-Litovsk Treaty in March 1918.

It gave Germany huge eastern territories.
It freed troops to fight on the western front.
March –July: a series of spring offensives took ground.
 August: Allies counter-attacked & gained ground: fresh
American reinforcements began to flood into Europe.

REVOLUTION
Sept: Field Marshall
Hindenburg & General
Ludendorff realised that
defeat was imminent.
 Aim: to protect Army’s
reputation & blame civilian
politicians.
 Ludendorff advised Kaiser to
sue for peace & form a new
government of the main party
leaders.

Paul von Hindenburg
THE STAB IN THE BACK
 1st Oct: Prince Max of
Baden, political
moderate & head of
German Red Cross
became Chancellor.
 His government would
soon be accused of
stabbing Germany in the
back.
The Stab in the Back!
TURMOIL




The new government lasted
only weeks before popular
revolution occurred:
Sailors mutinied in Kiel, tired
and afraid of rumours of a
suicide attack.
They were followed by
soldiers and hungry workers.
Soviets (councils) were set
up in many northern towns.



Friedrich Ebert

In Oct 1918 President Wilson
(USA) clarified that the war would
not end with the Kaiser in office.
He came to be seen as an obstacle
to peace and internal pressure
forced him to abdicate and flee to
Holland on 10th November 1918.
An armistice was signed on the
next day (11th Nov.) by Friedrich
Ebert, leader of the largest party
(SDP).
It did not bring peace to Germany.