The impact of WWI Flashcards
How was the war going for Germany at the start of 1918?
It was going well: Russia had signed a humiliating treaty on the Eastern Front. This allowed Germany to move troops to the Western Front, which had led to a massive breakthrough with the Ludendorff Offensive
What was the name of the humiliating peace treaty the Russians had to sign with Germany?
The Treaty of Brest-Litovsk (Spelt: BREST - LIT-O-VSK)
What happened in June 1918?
The Ludendorff Offensive slowed and then ground to a halt.
What happened in August 1918?
The Allies counter-attacked and regained all the territory that had been lost in the previous 3 months.
By September 1918, what was clear to German leaders?
That the war would soon be lost and that Germany must make peace
What was one of the key conditions of peace that the Allies put forward regarding the Kaiser?
That he abdicate (give up the throne)
What did the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk give Germany?
Germany gained one quarter of Russia’s best land and three quarters of its iron ore.
How did the war affect farming in Germany?
As many farmers were drafted into the armed forces, by 1918 Germany was only producing 50% of the milk and 60% of the butter and meat that it had produced before the war.
Why could Germany not simply avoid import more food to deal with the farming crisis?
For the last two years of the war, the British navy had blockaded German ports, preventing any food getting through
What happened in the winter of 1916-17 that badly affected German citizens?
They ran out of potatoes and had to live largely on turnips.
How many German citizens likely died from the combined effects of hunger and disease?
750,000
How did WWI affect Germany psychologically?
Before the war, Germans had been proud and ambitious for their country. But the war made them bitter and angry - and left many searching around for someone to blame.
What was sweeping Germany in 1918?
A flu epidemic that killed many Germans, already weakened by a lack of food
What happened in Kiel in October 1918?
Naval commanders sent their ships out to fight the British fleet in one final, suicidal mission. The sailors mutinied (refused to follow the order).
What did the mutiny at Kiel trigger?
Widespread protests against the war and the Kaiser
