Causes:

• German army was collapsing

• Allied blockade of ports o Food shortages => suffering

• Citizens and soldiers blamed Kaiser Wilhelm for their problems o He had absolute power in Germany

• Many were influenced by the recent Russian Revolution (1917) o The Tsar was overthrown and replaced by a government of the people o They felt the same should happen in Germany

Course:

25th October 1918 – German sailors mutiny instead of following orders to attack the British Navy

6th November 1918 – Government lost control of the country. The main aim of the workers + soldiers was to stop the war but politicians feared there might be a total revolution

7th November 1918 – Social Democrats sent the Kaiser an ultimatum => abdicate or they’d join the revolution

9th November 1918 – General strike => SDP announce the German Republic

10th November 1918 – Kaiser Wilhelm II fled Germany for the Netherlands => power falls into the hands of the SDP

11th November 1918 – Armistice is signed with the Allies

Effects:

• Germany lost WW1 o The new Weimar Republic called for an immediate ceasefire => led to an armistice

• Political Instability o Extreme groups fought for power o The new government didn’t take power until 1919

Impact of WW1:

• New Government o Many were unsure of the new government o Some wanted the Kaiser to return

• Deaths and Casualties o Over 7M dead or injured

• Financial Problems o Almost bankrupt => war cost £37B

• Social Unrest o Thousands left the army => riots in Germany o Freikorps (ex-soldiers) refused to give up their arms

• Losing the War o German population felt they weren’t losing o The new government ‘stabbed them in the back’ by giving in

• Mass Starvation o Allied blockade => lack of food supplies o 500,000 died as a result