The Armistice
History: KS3, topic 16.5.6
Abdication and Armistice
After the Kaiser abdicated, the next step was for Germany to withdraw from the war.
The Kiel Mutiny
- By September 1918 it was clear that Germany would not be able to win the war.
- In October, 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
- In November 1918 the Kaiser lost the support of his advisors and was forced to abdicate. He then fled to Holland.
- 10 November 1918: the German Republic was born.
- Friedrich Ebert became the leader.
The Armistice (peace agreement)
- On 11 November 1918, Friedrich Ebert (the new leader of Germany) admitted defeat and signed the armistice (peace agreement) with the Allies.
- Some Germans felt that Germany could have won the war and so were ‘stabbed in the back’ by Ebert and his government.
Friedrich Ebert's legacy
- Ebert and the politicians who negotiated peace became known as the ‘November Criminals’.
- This event was exploited by the Nazi Party in their rise to power in the 1930s.
Test yourself on The Armistice
How did some Germans feel about the armistice?
When was the armistice (peace treaty) signed?
Kaiser's Abdication