Effects of war or conflict

World War 1 Psychological blow to pride Huge causalities/economic loss for nothing (13) “Stabbed in the back” theory (November

Criminals) (14-15)

Effect of war or conflict

Association with Versailles Treaty (35) Myth of the impossible burden Right wing parties blamed democratic politicians for all ills of

society – Reality small part of budget post 1923 (74,83) When Hitler came to power only .4% of National income.

Vast majority of Germans felt that German had been mistreated

In order to remain in the international community – adherence and negotiations rather than confrontation

(35-39)

Effect of War and Conflict

Question: Is it more important for the historian to discover what people at the time believed was happening or what was the reality of the situation? Marie Antoinette Gulf of Tonkin incident

Justify your answer “Truth” vs. Historical Perceptions

Marie Antoinette

Louis had married the Austrian princess Marie Antoinette when she was 15. At first his young, beautiful bride was popular, but by the 1780s she was the victim of gossip at court. In 1781 a Historical Essay on the Life of Marie Antoinette was produced and was reprinted every year until 1793. At first the government tried to suppress it by burning all copies, but it was still widely read. It helped spread the following rumors: That Marie Antoinette had many lovers – both men and

women. That she wasted money – it was believed she had agreed

to buy a diamond necklace that would bankrupt the government.

That she interfered with running the country.

Marie Antoinette

“Louis has a queen who controls his weak mind. Her gambling and extravagance have been a major cause of exhausting the government's finances. The King has long been in the habit of drowning his problems in wine. The Queen cries, but sins on.”

Written by an American ambassador in France.

“Louis has a queen who controls his weak mind. Her gambling and extravagance have been a major cause of exhausting the government's finances. The King has long been in the habit of drowning his problems in wine. The Queen cries, but sins on.”

Written by an American ambassador in France.

There is no firm evidence to indicate that Marie had any lovers. The diamond necklace story was a plot by her enemies to

make her look bad and was shown at the time to be false. Court expenses did not rise during Maire time as Queen There is little evidence that either Marie or the King

bothered much with running the country, choosing to let the government ministers do it instead.

Most educated people knew these things yet still chose to believe the rumors.

Question

Is it more important for the historian to discover what people at the time believed was happening or what was the reality of the situation?

Effects of War or Conflict

“This war educated our German people to peace; this peace has educated it to war” (39)

T of V rhetoric was used constantly by Hitler and the Nazis

Effects of War or Conflict

Unresolved border disputes German governments consistently refused to

accept the T of V Eastern borders. (Pg 81) Lacarno Pact (1925) negotiated by W.R.

Stresemann called for arbitration with Poland and Czechoslovakia

Read: 8-11, 17, 22-24, 26-27, 29, 31, 62-63, 66

What were some of the weaknesses of the Weimar Republic?

Failure of the Democratic/Governmental process

Failure of the democratic/governmental process

Military hoped to use civilian government (14) Rapid change of government system (17) Created out of the defeat of the war Lack of democratic tradition ( 8-11) Caught in the middle ground – associated with

the revolution yet also seen as anti- revolutionary because of the crushing of the revolt (22-24)

Failure of the democratic/governmental

process Constitution was seen as a weak compromise (26-

27) Right wing – changes to radical without enough

authority to the government. Direct election of the President by the people.

Left wing – changes not radical enough (Articles 25,43, 48– martial law)

Widespread belief that the constitution was not adequate. (31)

Failure of the democratic/governmental

process Lack of governmental stability

(18, 66) Multiple parties divided the vote (62-63) Proportional representation required coalition

governments (See chart 29) 18 different governments in 15 years Allowed the President to regularly dismiss the Chancellor (29)

Loyalty to democracy shallow – highest votes for extremist parties during periods of crises

Desire for greater stability and authority in government

Military intervention

Weimar Republic forced to ask the army and Freikorps for help in crushing the Spartakist revolt in 1919 (21) – Puts the military into a strong political position throughout the W.R. period

Failure to reform the military along republican lines Intervention of military into political life in crucial

1930-1933 period Dismissal of chancellors General Von Schleicher -last chancellor before Hitler

(149)

Social Change

Middle class normally backbone of democratic governments – Germany weak, fragmented

Rapid urbanization and industrialization causes social displacement – often conflict between urban groups (socialists) and rural groups (right)

Hardened minority of radicals determined in their attacks against democratic government (Nazis, Communists)

Subversive role of power groups

Social elites still had a strong power base in Germany – disliked the government (69-70)

Traditional elites supported Weimer republic only to suppress the Communists. Hindenburg as President refused Article 48 to the SPD but gave it to Hitler.

Devotion was to the Kasierreich Army favored right-wing parties – Refused to crush

the Kapp Putch by the Free Corps in 1920 (21,)

Subversive role of power groups cont.

Judiciary did not take a firm stand against right wing extremists Hitler receives a one year sentence for armed rebellion

against the government (Munich Putsch 1923)– serves one month

Walter Rathenau Foreign Minister is assassinated in 1922 – killers get four years in jail (43)

Between 1919 and 1922 there were 376 political murders mostly committed by right wing parties (44)

Economic Crises

Hyperinflation Over-reliance on US loans – vulnerability

after the 1929 economic crises in the United States.80, 82-83

Cartelisation High rates of unemployment

Economic Crises -Hyperinflation

Causes(45,48) 1922 Ruhr occupation and general strike and the

resulting 1923 hyperinflation Economic Crisis (45)

Insecurity of Weimer governments led them to make the more short term financial decision of printing more money to deal with deficits(48)

Economic Crises -Hyperinflation

July 1914   1.0

 July 1919  3.4

 July 1921  14.3

 July 1922  100.6

 Jan 1923  2,785.0

 July 1923  194,000.0

 Nov 1923  726,000,000,000.0

Economic Crises -Hyperinflation

(45-50) “devastated the middle class” “culture of profiteering” Lack of trust of democratic system’s ability to

management Connection with T of V further weakened

creditability Direct connection to rise in support of Nazis (110

NSDAP members chart)

Economic Crises – Loans with the United States

Post World War 1 economic system (80) Prior to the economic crash in the United

States, loans were a greater economic input than the outputs of reparations (83)

“When America sneezes, Europe catches a cold”

Economic Crises – World Depression and Unemployment

Traditional explanation “It is inconceivable that Hitler could ever have come to power had not the Weimer Republic been subjected to the unprecedented strain of a world economic crisis.” (101)

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Economic Crises – World Depression and Unemployment

Germany was hit harder than other European countries (102)

Nature of coalition governments and memories of the 1923 hyperinflation crisis led to an inaccurate and political response from the government (104-105) reduction in expenditures Unwillingness to loan money to government Escalating problem due to gradual withdrawal of loans

and Bruning’s desire to use as political tool

Influence of External Powers

Limited direct influence of external powers Negative view of external powers (see effects of

war) Exclusion from international community (not a

member of the L of N) Occupation of the Ruhr by France Some verbal support by Mussolini No direct support or condemnation