Military defeat of 1918: myth and

reality

In 1914 Germany had been united in its determination to

win the war; they introduced a burgfrieden (peace in

fortress).

Germans saw the war as defending themselves from

Russian aggression, so even traditional left/right rivals supported the war effort.

As the war progressed, Germany’s unity began to fall

apart.

The country did not enjoy the quick victory it had expected, and the strength of the Allies

(especially the naval blockade and after the USA’s entry in

1917); the burgfrieden was at an end.

In July 1917, left-wing groups ensured that the

Reichstag voted 212 to 126 to seek a peace deal.

Right-wing Germans believed that only victory should end the war (a siegfriede). They wanted a victorious Germany

to expand its land across Europe and the world.

Ordinary Germans were suffering as the war

progressed; there was a threat of revolution due to problems

such as food shortages.

Germany had some hope when Russia and Romania stopped

fighting in 1917, and the Germans imposed harsh

conditions on those countries, including giving up land.

In September 1917, the German military’s Supreme

Commander Erich Ludendorff handed power to a civilian

government.

He hoped they would get fairer surrender terms from the

Allies, and that they would be blamed by Germans for giving up a war Germany could win.

In November 1917, Germany officially surrendered, ending

World War One.

The initial armistice saw them agree to give up land, hand over military equipment and return

prisoners-of-war.

A more detailed surrender agreement would be discussed

in 1918.

Ludendorff said Germany had been “stabbed in the back”

(dolchstoss) by left-wing politicians and that it

otherwise would not have lost.

This idea began to spread amongst right-wingers and

nationalist Germans, undermining the new

government.

Historians’ views

• John Wheeler-Bennett: Ludendorff believed that the army had not been given proper support from civilians who were part of the government and Reichstag. He suggested that the military had been ‘stabbed in the back’.

• Alexander Watson: ‘Stabbed in the back’ idea is entirely wrong. The German military was out of reserves, facing certain defeat and so had to surrender.