Abdication of the Kaiser

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Germany's Defeat

By Autumn 1918, it became clear that Germany could not win the war.

Defeat becomes inevitable

A series of events led to Kaiser Wilhelm abdicating.
- 29 September 1918: it was clear that Germany would be defeated.
- Field Marshal Hindenburg and General Ludendorff told Kaiser Wilhelm II that Germany could not win the war.
Hindenburg and Ludendorff said that a democratic government was needed for a favourable peace settlement with the Allied Powers.

A democratic government

3 October 1918: a more democratic government was created.
The Kaiser appointed a Liberal, Prince Max of Baden, to be Chancellor. Prince Max of Baden set up a new government.

The Abdication of the Kaiser

Once the Kaiser lost the support of the military, he had to abdicate.

Loss of military support

28 October 1918: the Kaiser lost the support of his military.
Sailors in the navy refused to follow the Kaiser’s orders. This was called the Kiel Mutiny.

Abdication

9 November 1918: the Kaiser lost the support of his advisors and was forced to abdicate.
At first, ministers tried to force the Kaiser to abdicate, which he refused.
- Following this the leaders of the army withdrew their support for the Kaiser.
The Kaiser abdicated and fled to Holland.

A new republic

10 November 1918: the German Republic was born.
- Philipp Scheidemann, a member of the Social Democratic Party (SPD), declared the new German Republic.
Friedrich Ebert, the leader of the SPD, became the leader of the German Republic.
Ebert created the Council of People’s Representatives as a temporary government.

1The Causes of the First World War

1.1The Alliance System

1.1.1The Threat of Germany & The Triple Alliance

1.1.2The Franco-Russian Alliance & the 'Entente'

1.1.3End of Topic Test - The Alliance System

1.2Crisis in Morocco and the Balkans

1.2.1The Crisis in Morocco

1.2.2The Crisis in the Balkans

1.2.3The Balkan Wars

1.2.4Impact on International Relations

1.2.5End of Topic Test - Morocco & the Balklans

1.3Anglo-German Rivalry

1.3.1Britain & Splendid Isolation

1.3.2Kaiser Wilhelm II's Foreign Policy

1.3.3European Rearmament

1.3.4End of Topic Test - Anglo-German Rivalry

1.4Outbreak of War

1.4.1Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand

1.4.2The July Crisis

1.4.3The Schlieffen Plan and Belgium

1.4.4Reasons for the Outbreak of Hostilities

1.4.5End of Topic Test - Outbreak of War

2The First World War: Stalemate

2.1The Schlieffen Plan

2.1.1Reasons Behind the Schlieffen Plan & its Failure

2.1.2Stalemate

2.1.3End of Topic Test - The Schlieffen Plan

2.2The Western Front

2.2.1Technology

2.2.2Military Tactics

2.2.3The War of Attrition (1915-1916)

2.2.4The War of Attrition (1917)

2.2.5End of Topic Test - The Western Front

2.3The Wider War

2.3.1The War at Sea

2.3.2The War in the Air

2.3.3Other Theatres

2.3.4End of Topic Test - Wider War

3Ending the War

3.1Changes in the Allied Forces

3.1.1The Bolshevik Revolution

3.1.2Reasons for the Entry of the USA

3.1.3The Impact of US Entry on the War

3.1.4End of Topic Test - Changes in the Allied Forces

3.2Military Developments in 1918

3.2.1Tactics & Technology

3.2.2Ludendorff & the German Spring Offensive

3.2.3The Allied Advance During The Hundred Days

3.3Germany Surrenders

3.3.1The Impact of the Naval Blockade

3.3.2Abdication of the Kaiser

3.3.3Armistice

3.3.4The Contribution of Haig and Foch

3.3.5End of Topic Test - Developments & Surrender

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