Germany under the Kaiser

Germany under the Kaiser

1. Kaiser Wilhelm

   • Characteristics
     • Positives
       • Ambitious
       • Intelligent
       • Well-informed
       • Good personality
     • Negatives
       • Bad concentration span
       • Paranoid
       • Cruel and rude
       • Irrational
   • Kaiser and the military
     • Proud Prussian past
       • Adopted Weltpolitik
         • Wanted to make Germany a world power
           • Colonies
           • Envied British navy
             • Started a naval race
             • 5 Naval laws 1898-1912
           • Strong army

2. Society

   • Urbanisation
     • Wages up for working and middle classes
     • Higher class earned less
   • Politics
     • SPD becoming more popular
       • Socialist
       • Kaiser worried
       • Lower classes liked
       • Got some reforms through
         • Kaiser sacked chancellor that allowed it
   • Population growth

3. Economy

   • New industries doing well
     • Chemical
     • Heavy industry
       • Steel
       • Iron
       • Coal
   • 1873 slump in businesses
     • Depression
     • People unhappy

4. WW1

   • The Kaiser during WW1
     • Never visited trenches
     • Left it to his generals
     • Only interfered with navy
     • Became unpopular
   • Tactics
     • Schlieffen Plan
       • Details
         • Go through Belgium into France
           • Take out Paris quickly
             • Then deal with Russia
               • No war on two fronts
           • Sneeky
           • British had an alliance with Belgium
             • Germany didn't think they'd stick to it
         • Draw forces to German-French border
       • Why did it fail?
         • British came quickly
         • Belgians resisted
         • Battle of the Marne failed
         • Russia mobilised quickly
   • Effects
     • Naval blockade
       • British blockaded all ships coming in and out
       • Couldn't import food
         • People went hungry
           • Turnip winter 1916-17
       • Couldn't import war resources
     • Large war expenditure
       • Economic Problems
     • Fewer men
       • Smaller workforce
         • Women had to go in jobs
           • Lifestyle & culture changes
   • The end
     • While the Kaiser came back to Germany to feel safer, the government announced his abdication without him knowing
       • He had no choice but to agree
         • This was the end of German Kaisers
       • War ended 11/11/1918