Germany in the First World War (AQA GCSE History)

Was the Kaiser to blame for the First World War? - Timeline & Summary

The Kaiser played an important role in the events leading up to the First World War. Wilhelm II believed that Germany should be a powerful and respected country across the world. Weltpolitik made other countries, like Britain and France, nervous and more suspicious of Germany's intentions. The Kaiser’s aggressive approach and desire to prove Germany's strength added to the tensions between European nations. It created an environment where a war was more likely to happen.

However, it wasn’t just Germany preparing for war. Other countries in Europe were also building up their armies and forming alliances. France, Britain and Russia had formed the Triple Entente (or the Allies), a group meant to counter the power of Germany. This meant that if one country went to war, its allies would likely join. This caused a much larger conflict. Many European nations felt that war was coming and prepared by militarism. Whilst the Kaiser’s aggressive actions contributed to the outbreak of the war, there was a build-up of tensions across Europe. Many countries, like Britain and France, were also responsible for starting the First World War.

Why were Germans tired of the First World War?

• In 1914, Germans were happy and optimistic at the declaration of war. A typical German opinion of the time was:

  • the Kaiser was right to declare war to protect Germany's allies

  • Germany had a superior armed force and would easily win the war

    • Some military leaders believed that Germany could win the war within 40 days

• By 1918, Germany was in political and economic chaos

  • The German experience of war did not go as planned

  • The war caused many Germans to turn against the Kaiser and his government

• The Germans became tired of the First World War because of:

  • the naval blockade

  • the economic impacts of the war

  • the death toll

The naval blockade

• In 1914, the British Navy used their dominance to prevent food from being transported to German ports

• By 1918:

  • thousands of Germans had died from starvation

  • Germany suffered from rationing and shortages of key supplies

  • millions of Germans were in poor health due to a lack of food

The economic impacts of the war

• The war impacted Germany's economy because:

  • Funding the war effort was incredibly expensive

    • Germany was already in debt before the war

    • The First World War only made this debt worse

  • Fighting a war on two fronts meant that there were labour shortages

  • The blockade and fighting made it hard for Germany to trade with other countries

    • By October 1918, Germany was producing 80% less steel than in early 1914

    • A lack of trade meant that workers were paid less than before the war

• By 1918, Germany was close to economic collapse

The death toll

• Trench warfare and new war technology resulted in a high number of casualties

  • By 1915, around 600,000 Germans had died

  • By 1918, over two million soldiers had died

• From 1915, Germans began to protest for the end of the war

  • Stories about the trauma of war became known on the home front

  • By 1916, over 10,000 people attended anti-war demonstrations in Germany

• By 1918, people were dying on the home front

  • A flu epidemic spread through Germany

  • A lack of food caused people to be too weak to fight the illness, causing thousands of Germans to die

Why did Germany lose the First World War?

• Germany was not militarily defeated on the battlefield by November 1918

• Germany lost the First World War because:

  • the Spring Offensive had not succeeded in pushing the Allied forces back

    • The German Army was retreating in October, but was not defeated

  • Germany's military leaders lost faith in winning the war

    • In October, General Ludendorff told the Kaiser that Germany could not win the war

    • He also advised the Kaiser to pass democratic reforms so the Allies would make the post-war treaty kinder to Germany

  • Germany could no longer cope with the pressure of war

    • Germany's economy was close to collapse

    • War weariness meant there were high numbers of desertions and protests