Political impact on germany after world war 1
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It was Germany, however, that particularly suffered following the war. ... The heavy reparations, combined with the devastated economic infrastructure throughout Germany and political tension under the Weimar Republic, led to an economic depression. Hyperinflation and unemployment in Weimar Germany were staggering.
Answer:
This is the most obvious area of change. It signalled the end of the Second Reich. The war led to the Kaiser being forced into abdication. This left a power vacuum that was filled first by an Interim Government and then by the Weimar Republic. However there were other political consequences of the war that may be less obvious. The food shortages across Germany led to a radicalisation of peoples views. As a result extremist views, such as communism, became widely supported, particularly in the industrial cities. In 1919 there were several Left Wing uprisings; The Spartacists attempting a revolution in Berlin and a short lived Soviet Republic was formed in Bavaria. The implications of these uprisings are great. The government was forced to make use of a body called the Freikorps. This group was made up of disillusioned soldiers, who were right wing in their beliefs. Some historians argue that the methods employed by the government at this early stage of its existence, led partially to the governments fall 14 years later.
Germany was extremely isolated at the end of the war. Trade was hard to come by as most of her previous trading partners now sunned Germany, preferring to do Business with the victorious Allies. Likewise the Germans struggled diplomatically, most notoriously their views were ignored at the Peace conference at Versailles.