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some respects, particularly with regard to
burg and Ludendorff in 1916. Ministers and
Pan-Germanism, militarism, industrial ex-
civil officials were appointed or dismissed
pansion, and imperial rivalries over trade and
according to the requirements of military
colonies. The new Kaiser, Wilhelm II, was
policy, and repression of civil liberties became
young, rash, and egotistic. By his opposition
complete despite the emergence of a demo-
to infringement of his royal privileges or those
cratic coalition in the Reichstag. This coali-
of the militaristic class which surrounded
tion, however, was powerless to exercise the
him, Bismarckian inflexibility of purpose was
slightest influence on the course of events and
replaced by royal instability, with vastly im-
merely voiced cautious disapproval of unpop-
portant consequences for Germany both at
ular measures. So passive and futile was the
home and abroad. The Kaiser's early liberal
opposition to the military clique that, when
impulses proved superficial, and the monar-
total collapse was imminent in 1918 in the
chical-feudal character of German society was
closing days of the war, it was the German
little affected by political agitation for reform
High Command which suddenly turned the
despite the rapid growth of trade unionism,
imperial system into a parliamentary democ-
which became more a manifestation of dis-
racy in the hope of appeasing the Allies and
content than an effective agency for improv-
gaining a "soft" peace based on President Wil-
ing the condition of the masses. The Social-
son's Fourteen Points. In the face of unex-
ists achieved few real gains through their own
pectedly severe Allied terms and a rapidly de-
efforts before the first World War. The only
teriorating political situation within Ger-
effective part of their program was that bor-
many, Ludendorff resigned, the Kaiser abdi-
rowed by Bismarck, such as the Sickness In-
cated, and the militarists surrendered their
surance Law, the Accident Insurance Law
political power. With the monarchy over-
and the Old Age Pension Act, which were
thrown by revolution, the onus of making
adapted to the purposes of the Prussian State.
peace fell upon the provisional Social Demo-
The power of the industrialists, the influence
cratic Government headed by Friedrich Ebert.
of the military circles in which the Kaiser
The period between the announcement of
moved, and the fascination of an aggressive
the Republic and the attainment of relative
foreign policy that would satisfy the national
political stability was marked by Communist
desire for expansion dominated the political
uprisings in the major German urban areas.
situation and ultimately brought Germany
The German masses, however, were unpre-
into conflict with every European power that
pared for a social revolution on the Soviet
stood in its way. To overcome by military
model. The Communist-led "Spartacists"
force the encirclement of Germany by hostile
and their following were ruthlessly liquidated
powers became the avowed objective of im-
by the Socialist authorities with the assistance
perial policy and led directly to the first World
of the Free Corps, roving bands of former
War.
military personnel and riffraff. The Free
The immediate cause of the war was Ger-
Corps units were supported and financed by
many's support of Austrian pretensions in the
the big industrialists and the army for the
Balkans in the face of rival Russian aspira-
purpose of liquidating opposition to the mili-
tions. France and Belgium were invaded as
tarist-industrialist clique fighting for control
preventive measures, and in the general con-
of the Weimar Republic. From these Free
flict that ensued all parties and classes in
Corps came the rank and file of the National-
Germany supported the Imperial Govern-
ist movement, which furnished Hitler with
ment, the Socialists joining with the Junkers
the nucleus for his Nazi Party.
in voting the necessary war measures. As the
The German Republic had its basis in the
German military position deteriorated, dis-
constitution drawn up by the National Con-
illusionment and unrest threatened the sta-
stituent Assembly at Weimar and put into
bility of the political system to such a degree
effect in August 1919. It turned the old Em-
that it was held together only by the military
pire, formally at least, into a fully democratic,
dictatorship established by Generals Hinden-
federalistic state. The President was elected
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"ocrText": "I-2\nSECRET\nsome respects, particularly with regard to\nburg and Ludendorff in 1916. Ministers and\nPan-Germanism, militarism, industrial ex-\ncivil officials were appointed or dismissed\npansion, and imperial rivalries over trade and\naccording to the requirements of military\ncolonies. The new Kaiser, Wilhelm II, was\npolicy, and repression of civil liberties became\nyoung, rash, and egotistic. By his opposition\ncomplete despite the emergence of a demo-\nto infringement of his royal privileges or those\ncratic coalition in the Reichstag. This coali-\nof the militaristic class which surrounded\ntion, however, was powerless to exercise the\nhim, Bismarckian inflexibility of purpose was\nslightest influence on the course of events and\nreplaced by royal instability, with vastly im-\nmerely voiced cautious disapproval of unpop-\nportant consequences for Germany both at\nular measures. So passive and futile was the\nhome and abroad. The Kaiser's early liberal\nopposition to the military clique that, when\nimpulses proved superficial, and the monar-\ntotal collapse was imminent in 1918 in the\nchical-feudal character of German society was\nclosing days of the war, it was the German\nlittle affected by political agitation for reform\nHigh Command which suddenly turned the\ndespite the rapid growth of trade unionism,\nimperial system into a parliamentary democ-\nwhich became more a manifestation of dis-\nracy in the hope of appeasing the Allies and\ncontent than an effective agency for improv-\ngaining a \"soft\" peace based on President Wil-\ning the condition of the masses. The Social-\nson's Fourteen Points. In the face of unex-\nists achieved few real gains through their own\npectedly severe Allied terms and a rapidly de-\nefforts before the first World War. The only\nteriorating political situation within Ger-\neffective part of their program was that bor-\nmany, Ludendorff resigned, the Kaiser abdi-\nrowed by Bismarck, such as the Sickness In-\ncated, and the militarists surrendered their\nsurance Law, the Accident Insurance Law\npolitical power. With the monarchy over-\nand the Old Age Pension Act, which were\nthrown by revolution, the onus of making\nadapted to the purposes of the Prussian State.\npeace fell upon the provisional Social Demo-\nThe power of the industrialists, the influence\ncratic Government headed by Friedrich Ebert.\nof the military circles in which the Kaiser\nThe period between the announcement of\nmoved, and the fascination of an aggressive\nthe Republic and the attainment of relative\nforeign policy that would satisfy the national\npolitical stability was marked by Communist\ndesire for expansion dominated the political\nuprisings in the major German urban areas.\nsituation and ultimately brought Germany\nThe German masses, however, were unpre-\ninto conflict with every European power that\npared for a social revolution on the Soviet\nstood in its way. To overcome by military\nmodel. The Communist-led \"Spartacists\"\nforce the encirclement of Germany by hostile\nand their following were ruthlessly liquidated\npowers became the avowed objective of im-\nby the Socialist authorities with the assistance\nperial policy and led directly to the first World\nof the Free Corps, roving bands of former\nWar.\nmilitary personnel and riffraff. The Free\nThe immediate cause of the war was Ger-\nCorps units were supported and financed by\nmany's support of Austrian pretensions in the\nthe big industrialists and the army for the\nBalkans in the face of rival Russian aspira-\npurpose of liquidating opposition to the mili-\ntions. France and Belgium were invaded as\ntarist-industrialist clique fighting for control\npreventive measures, and in the general con-\nof the Weimar Republic. From these Free\nflict that ensued all parties and classes in\nCorps came the rank and file of the National-\nGermany supported the Imperial Govern-\nist movement, which furnished Hitler with\nment, the Socialists joining with the Junkers\nthe nucleus for his Nazi Party.\nin voting the necessary war measures. As the\nThe German Republic had its basis in the\nGerman military position deteriorated, dis-\nconstitution drawn up by the National Con-\nillusionment and unrest threatened the sta-\nstituent Assembly at Weimar and put into\nbility of the political system to such a degree\neffect in August 1919. It turned the old Em-\nthat it was held together only by the military\npire, formally at least, into a fully democratic,\ndictatorship established by Generals Hinden-\nfederalistic state. The President was elected"
}