Download Post-WWI Germany / Microsoft PowerPoint 97

Post-WWI Germany
How the `peace treaty` of Versailles
helped sow the seeds of WWII
Germany Accepts a “Humiliating” Peace
• By 1918, the German army was being defeated
and pushed back towards Germany.
• The German Kaiser (king) abdicated and the
government was then left to civilians.
• To avoid invasion and occupation and total
defeat, the German government requested an
armistice (cease fire).
• They created a new, democratic government
known as the Weimar Republic (named because it met in
the town of Weimar)
• It was this new German gov`t who was forced to
accept the Treaty of Versailles (along with the
anger of the German people for its harsh terms)
• No Allied soldiers ever invaded Germany and the
vast majority of German civilians saw almost
nothing of the fighting in WWI
• Gov`t propaganda had spoken of `victories` and
the success of the army, even as it was in retreat
• Most Germans were surprised by the
government’s seemingly sudden surrender
• The army High Command claimed that they were
technically undefeated and that the loss of WWI
was the fault of “traitors, cowards and the
Weimar Government “
• The army claimed they had been `stabbed in the
back` by the Weimar Gov`t –a popular idea for a
German public who felt beaten and demoralized
Problems in Post-WWI Germany
Debt &
Inflation
Economic
Depression
Anger &
Fear
Political
Instability
Debt &
Inflation
• Germany had massive debts from the war
• The gov`t did not have the expected conquered
resources (from victory) to pay the war debts
• The loss of colonies meant even fewer resources
• The German Mark ($) was worth very little
Economic
Depression
• Many of Germany`s former trading partners had
become enemies during the war
• The Great Depression created a lack of trade
and investment
• There was massive unemployment in Germany
Political
Instability
Anger &
Fear
• Democracy was new, strange and seemed inefficient
• Weimar Gov`t couldn`t seem to solve problems
• The parliament (Reichstag) was too divided to get much
accomplished
• New radical parties were being formed (Nazis, Communists)
• Political violence between parties (assassinations, brawls, riots)
spilled into the streets
• German soldiers felt they had done well in battle, but the
Weimar Gov`t had still surrendered -- The myth of a brave
German army that had been `stabbed in the back` (betrayed) by
a weak gov`t was born
• Conditions in Germany were desperate with inflation,
unemployment, violence and food shortages
• The German people felt surrounded by enemies
How did the Treaty of Versailles
worsen, or even help create,
these problems?
Debt &
Inflation
• The massive reparation payments to the Allies
drained the German gov`t of money
• The gov`t printed more $ to pay the Allies, but this
lead to rapid and massive inflation
• Suddenly, the price of goods skyrocketed and
people needed millions of Marks just to buy
groceries
Economic
Depression
• Germany was stripped of her colonies, losing
those resources and the industries they supported
• Germany lost wealthy industrial territories such as
the Saar Basin
• The cost of reparation payments made it
impossible to invest in building new industries to
create jobs
Political
Instability
• The Weimar Gov`t could not gain legitimacy or support as it was
blamed for signing the Treaty of Versailles and `betraying Germany`
• The crushing reparation payments prevented the gov`t from
providing for citizens
• The Weimar Gov`t seemed weak (pushed around by the Allies)
• Terrible conditions became a breeding ground for radical groups with
extreme `solutions`
Anger &
Fear
• The Treaty (Article 231) forced Germans to accept blame for a war
that they believed the Allies had started
• They felt unjustly punished by the Treaty`s harsh terms
• The `Great German Army` (pride of the nation) was reduced to a tiny,
poorly armed shadow of itself
• Parts of Germany were lost to other nations
• The promised New German Empire was lost
• The y felt that the point of the Treaty was to keep Germany weak (no
army) and ripe to be conquered
When people are desperate...
• All of these issues collided to create a endless
stream of problems in Germany
• The Weimar Gov`t was paralyzed by division,
squabbling and fear (of Communist revolution)
• Conditions were terrible and the German
public were willing to listen to anyone who
offered hope and promised them solutions
They do desperate things.
• The conditions in Germany were perfect for the
rise of a strong-willed manipulator who could use
fear, prejudice and violence to achieve his goals.
• The frightened and beleaguered German people
would turn to a power-hungry thug to save them,
a man whose goal was to restart the very
madness that had brought Germany to this low
point, war.
• That man was Adolf Hitler
Debt &
Inflation
Economic
Depression
Treaty of Versailles
Political
Anger &
Instability
Fear
The Rise of Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party
The Rise of Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party