mod notes
WW1 had sign. impact on Germany. Brought about collapse of Hohenzollern monarchy & its replacement by a democratic system, which, after early difficulties, seemed to flourish before becoming a casualty of the Great Depression. War's legacy allowed Adolf Hitler to rise from relative obscurity to overthrow this short-lived democracy, impose a dictatorship, & pursue a foreign policy that, in the name of righting the wrongs of the Versailles settlement, plunged the world into another war. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------By the outbreak of war in August 1914, Germany was well established as major world power. Attained in less than 30 years - seen in country's industrial & economic strength, o/seas colonies, extensive trading interests, & its vast army. Yet, w/in 5 yrs, Germany was on its knees; its armies on Western Front were in full retreat, its citizens were starving & the Hohenzollern monarchy had abdicated in favour of a republic. Nation was about to enter into period of political, social & econ. chaos. Popular belief held that German ppl & army had been betrayed by socialist politicians who now held reins of govt. Signatories to Armistice of No
- Thus began what German scholar Karl Diethrich Bracher in The German Dictatorship has described as a 'legal revolution'. - Major opponents: Hitler & Communist leader Thalmann. Locarno Treaties 1925- Seen as triumph of co-operation between foreign ministers Chamberlain of Britain, Briand of France, and Stresemann. - Nazis & Communists, both sworn enemies of the W/Republic now controlled 52% of the Reichstag. That opportunity came in 1941 as the Germans occupied large areas of eastern Europe. * Working class Germans relished Nazi promises of jobs & new welfare state in which worker would be protected by state that cherished its ppl. - No control over brutality in camps because they were the sole responsibility of the SS. - On this basis, became chancellor in 1932. socialism & called, in 1933 & 1934, for the 'Second Revolution' to attack big business & propertied classes. Protest meetings held & mutiny spread. - Hindenburg disliked Hitler; looking down on him as mere ex-corporal, unforgiving of Hitler's decision to stand against him for presidency, & was critical of violence on streets caused by the SA. - Politically, conservative Germans had repeatedly shown themselves to be hostile to violent political revolution, lesson Hitler learnt in failed Munich Putsch in 1923. - Aim of all this was attainment of Nazi ideal of coordinated or totally unified society. - Aftermath: Hitler defended his actions in Reichstag on 13 July, giving prominence to charges of corruption, favouritism & homosexuality that had been levelled at Rohm's group, & threat of 2nd revolution that they posed.
Common topics in this essay:
Aspects Stresemann's,
Robert Ley,
Stinnes-Legien Pact,
Weimar Republic,
Community Nazis,
Reich Industrial,
Treaty Versailles,
Roma Jewish,
Constitution August,
Womanhood NSF,
nazi party,
social democrats,
weimar republic,
hitler youth,
treaty versailles,
concentration camps,
nazi ideology,
soviet union,
final solution,
november 1923,
largest party reichstag,
1933 hitler w/drew,
jews argues plans,
argues plans destroying,
plans destroying jews,
|