Assess the Influence of the German Army on the Successes and Failures of the Weimar Republic by 1933:
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- Category: History: European
- Date Submitted: 03/30/2014 01:13 AM
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The influence of the German army, or Reichswehr, was a consistent force in the political process throughout the Weimar Republic period, exerting control through various positions. Following the humiliating defeat of World War One, the army was able to shift blame to the November criminals, and maintained their influence through their historical standing, cunning actions and the dolchstosslegende. The armies role in the successes and failures up until the dissolution of the republic in 1933 can be attributed to their independence and historical standing, as they undermined the Weimar Republic by becoming a state within Germany, following its own agenda. The army contributed to the success and failure of the Weimar Republic in three vital ways, through particular action against putsch's, the growing influence of the army through Seeckt and Hindenburg, and the transition to autocratic tendencies brought about by the depression undermining democracy throughout the Weimar Republic.
Facilitated by political issues in the early years of the Weimar Republic (1918-1923) the army gained increased political influence, which allowed them to implement their own agenda. Initially, the removal of the Kaiser and the events following the armistice created significant political turmoil, which resulted in the Ebert government requiring the assistance of the Riechswehr, who were the only consistent element throughout the transition, to stabilise the political scene. This is supported by A.J. Nicholls, ‘Bloodshed and disorder in various parts of the country in the first half of 1919 made the new Reichswehr indispensable to the government.’ This allowed the army to attain greater control over Germany as stability was attained through the secret Ebert-Groener pact, which saw the government and the army agree to suppress radical leftism, and secure the government’s position in return for the upholding of the armies place. Thus, the army secured a very important position, stopping...
Facilitated by political issues in the early years of the Weimar Republic (1918-1923) the army gained increased political influence, which allowed them to implement their own agenda. Initially, the removal of the Kaiser and the events following the armistice created significant political turmoil, which resulted in the Ebert government requiring the assistance of the Riechswehr, who were the only consistent element throughout the transition, to stabilise the political scene. This is supported by A.J. Nicholls, ‘Bloodshed and disorder in various parts of the country in the first half of 1919 made the new Reichswehr indispensable to the government.’ This allowed the army to attain greater control over Germany as stability was attained through the secret Ebert-Groener pact, which saw the government and the army agree to suppress radical leftism, and secure the government’s position in return for the upholding of the armies place. Thus, the army secured a very important position, stopping...