The+Defeat+of+Germany

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 * ** Long Term Causes ** || ** Short Term Causes ** ||
 * British Blockade || Sudden withdrawal of Russia (due to Russia revolution) allowed America to enter war on Allies side. ||
 * German Allies shattering/withdrawing from war || Russian Revolution persuaded socialists in Germany that it was possible to turn Germany into socialist country. ||
 * war of attrition between Germany and Allies wore both sides down. Basically the length of the war. The longer it dragged out the worse it was for both sides. || Spring Offensive was a huge gamble. Since they used 500,000 soldiers for the Spring Offensive/Operation Michael they had very few soldiers left. Ludendorff wanted 200,00 soldiers per month but there were only enough for 300,000 each year. The spring offensive had failed so the Allies could go on the offensive as the Germans were weakened from the Spring Offensive ||
 * The unrestricted submarine warfare triggered the anger of America. America entered the war. || Zimmerman telegram provoked the USA into entering the war (u boats also. The unrestricted submarine warfare dragged the Americans in also. ie. the Lusitania almost dragged them into the war) ||
 * Equipment (eg. problem of machine guns in trench warfare) || Allies’ counter-attack (began on July) on August 8th 1918 was known as the Black Day for Germany, because the Allies succeeded in breaking the German lines. ||
 * Inexperienced Officers ||  ||

the government was losing popularity || ~Austro Hungary: 4th Nov. 1918 ~ Bulgaria: 30th Sept. 1918 ~ Turks: 30th Oct. 1918 || Germany’s allies were on the verge of collapse after a long string of defeats || <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Comic Sans MS; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Germany was lacking in financial support and vital troops in order to succeed, meaning their chances of winning were narrowing ||
 * <span style="background-color: #ffff00; color: #ff0000; display: block; font-family: Comic Sans MS; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">**Cause** || <span style="background-color: #ffff00; color: #ff0000; display: block; font-family: Comic Sans MS; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">**Reason** || <span style="background-color: #ffff00; color: #ff0000; display: block; font-family: Comic Sans MS; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">**Effect** ||
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Comic Sans MS; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Naval blockade of German ships carrying vital food supplies or vital supplies such as chemicals, steel and oil. Successful blockade with only 80 ships managing to slip through out of the 12,000 ships checked. || <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Comic Sans MS; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The Allies aimed to starve the Germans out of the war. || <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Comic Sans MS; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">By 1916 Germany had serious food shortage issues, and riots began to break out. Riots caused the war to lose support. By 1918 the Germans ere reaching the limit of their supplies. ||
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Comic Sans MS; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Introduction of U-Boats and unrestricted warfare (long term cause) || <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Comic Sans MS; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">German attempt to get more supplies through the British naval blockade || <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Comic Sans MS; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">U-boats used as early as 1914. However when the sank passenger liner Lusitania with many US casualties in May 1915, they went back to restricted submarine warfare. Feb. 1917: unrestricted warfare reintroduced, provoking the USA to enter the war. ||
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Comic Sans MS; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Spring Offensive failed, and triggered the Hundred Days offensive, which ended the war. By September 1918 Germans had lost 1,000,000 men. || <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Comic Sans MS; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The Spring offensive failed to achieve any breakthrough, and the Germans gained land they could not sustain || <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Comic Sans MS; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The Allies picked up the remains of the failed offensive, launching the Hundred Days offensive which was a series of successful attacks launched by the Allies which against the greatly weakened Germans, eventually leading to their defeat ||
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Comic Sans MS; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Zimmerman Telegram || <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Comic Sans MS; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Germans tried to persuade Mexico to aid them and in return they would get some US land || <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Comic Sans MS; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Final straw for the US, leading to the USA declaring war on Germany ||
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Comic Sans MS; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Loss of support for Kaiser and German government || <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Comic Sans MS; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Caused by the lack of success in the war, and widespread starvation || <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Comic Sans MS; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Riots in Germany, loss of public support for war meant morale was lowered and
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Comic Sans MS; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Withdraw of Russia in 1917 || <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Comic Sans MS; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">String of defeats with heavy casualties and large damage to the Russian pride, with 1,000,000 deaths by the end of 1914. || <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Comic Sans MS; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The USA felt more able to join the war on the grounds of “protecting world democracy” if they were not on the same side as an autocratic government such as Russia. The USA declaration of war against Germany helped to defeat the enemy (see below) ||
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Comic Sans MS; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Collapse of Germany’s allies -
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Comic Sans MS; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">USA declaration of war against Germany || <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Comic Sans MS; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Unrestricted submarine warfare, Zimmerman Telegram, “protection of world democracy”, possibility of making money || <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Comic Sans MS; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Millions of American men volunteered for the war. Fresh new troops with high morale was just what the Allies needed to win the war. The US troops contributed greatly to the Hundred Days Reform which effectively ended the war. ||

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #008000; font-family: Impact,Charcoal,sans-serif; font-size: 16pt; font-style: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">State of Allies

 * ==<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Comic Sans MS; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">August 8 1918- Australians broke through German lines with aircraft and tanks. This caused German High Command to panic and want an armistice. ==
 * ==<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Comic Sans MS; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Bulgaria (Germany's ally) fell in late September, and Austria-Hungary was soon to collapse ==
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Comic Sans MS; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Austro Hungarian government and the army collapsed, causing complete chaos. They surrendered on 4th November 1918
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Comic Sans MS; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Bulgaria also surrendered on 30 Sept., 1918
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Comic Sans MS; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Turks signed armistice with Allies on 30th Oct., 1918
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Comic Sans MS; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Given no other option, Germany proposed armistice on October 3rd.
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Comic Sans MS; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">However Ludendorff expressed his reluctance to sign the armistice on October 26th
 * <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #008000; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">Germany's final defeat ended WW1, 11 November 1918 at 11.00am. **

<span style="color: #008000; font-family: Impact,Charcoal,sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;">After the war... <span style="color: #008000; font-family: Impact,Charcoal,sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Comic Sans MS; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Germany, who could not accept their defeat, came up with the <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Comic Sans MS; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">**“stab in the back” theory.** <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Comic Sans MS; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">This theory said that the Germans had not lost on the battlefield and could have continued fighting however they were being betrayed by their own people. This theory led to the second world war as Hitler was obsessed with it and believed Jews and Marxists were the problem. According to Hitler the politicians who signed the armistice on November 11 1918 are the **“NOVEMBER CRIMINALS”** <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Comic Sans MS; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The Germans signed the treaty of Versailles after losing <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Comic Sans MS; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Treaty of Versailles- signed in Versailles palace near Paris-July 28 1919
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Comic Sans MS; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Alsace Lorraine to be returned to France
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Comic Sans MS; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Saar (important German coalfield) give to France for 15 years
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Comic Sans MS; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">All German and Turkish colonies under Allied control
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Comic Sans MS; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Finland, Lithuania, Latvia and Czechoslovakia granted independence
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Comic Sans MS; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Austria Hungary Split up
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Comic Sans MS; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Yugoslavia created
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Left bank of Rhine occupied by allies right bank demilitarised
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">German Army- max 100,000 men
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Get rid of War time weapons
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">German Navy-36 ships +no submarines +no air force
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Germany alliance with Austria banned
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Germany accepts all blame for war
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">6,600 million pounds paid by Germany for compensation
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Germany lost 13% of its land, 12% of its people, 48% of its iron resources, 15% of it agricultural production and 10% of it coal.
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Germans felt unfairly treated
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Sources ||
 * __ textbook __ ||
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">__[]__ ||
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">__[]__ ||
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">__[|Main Points]__ ||
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">__[]__ ||
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">http://www.historyplace.com/worldwar2/timeline/ends2.htm ||
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">__[|The "STAB IN BACK" theory]__ ||
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">__[]__ ||