During the final days of the Great War, the German people to include German soldiers believed they were winning the war. Soldiers rumored that the Central Powers would soon mount a decisive and final offensive that would decimate the Allies. The November 11, 1918 Armistice came as a surprise to most of the German Army and the nation they fought for and defended ("Treaty of Versailles", 2017). German soldiers were told by commanders that the war was over and to return to Germany. Soldiers followed orders in disbelief, enraged by the sudden defeat with no explanation ("Impact of World War One on The Weimar Republic", 2016).
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The defeated German Army marches home in after Armistice.
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The First World War was horrific for the soldiers of Germany and hardship for the citizens. The Allied blockade dwindled German resources, and food was scarce. Most of the scant food Germany had was sent to the Front to support the troops. But the people of Germany believed through government propaganda that Germany was winning the war. The abrupt surrender of Germany gave the people fear of what would come and that all their strife was in vain ("Impact of World War One on The Weimar Republic", 2016).
In Germany, anger and humiliation was the quantitative attitude. The Treaty of Versailles that the Germans had no part in developing placed the blame of the war on Germany. The country was to repay debts to the Allies for the German aggression. French and British troops invaded and occupied the Ruhr Valley to enforce debt collection from German industry. German’s detested the occupation because many believed the war was not lost but merely given up without cause by German leaders. The French and British occupation was also to ensure there was no future German uprising ("Treaty of Versailles", 2017).
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French troops and a German worker.
After the war, the German people were starving, traumatized, and the country was in political chaos. Soldiers returned home with their weapons because there was no formal disarmament and roamed German streets seeking an outlet for anger. The Treaty of Versailles further exacerbated German humiliation and resentment. The stringent regulations of the treaty gave rise to extremist political organizations such as the Nazi party. The German people were a proud people before the war, and they were still a proud people after the war. For their part in World War I, the world made Germany out to be an evil empire, the empire they would soon become ("Impact of World War One on The Weimar Republic", 2016).
Photos retrieved from
https://faculty.unlv.edu/pwerth/Europe-1919-2.jpg
http://www.cnn.com/2014/07/28/opinion/world-war-one-germany-jorn-leonhard/index.html
http://www.theholocaustexplained.org/ks4/the-nazi-rise-to-power/the-german-economy-c-1919-29/economic-effects-of-the-treaty-of-versailles/#.WdfNObpFzcw
https://faculty.unlv.edu/pwerth/Europe-1919-2.jpg
http://www.cnn.com/2014/07/28/opinion/world-war-one-germany-jorn-leonhard/index.html
http://www.theholocaustexplained.org/ks4/the-nazi-rise-to-power/the-german-economy-c-1919-29/economic-effects-of-the-treaty-of-versailles/#.WdfNObpFzcw