Germany Essay -- essays research papers

None of the European power wanted World War I, but they feared Germany. Germany was newly unified, and was beating the European powers in population and Industry. France wanted to recover the Alsace-Lorraine. Britain was a country used to being on the ocean, so they felt threatened by Germany’s colonial expansion and William II’s insisting on a large navy. Russia and Austria feared pressure on their unstable empires. In 1894, russia made an alliance with France, and Great Britain settled it’s differences with France in the Entente Cordiale in 1904 forming the Triple Entente.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The assassination, with Serbian Knowledge, of the liberal Austrian archduke Francis Ferdinan in Sarajevo in June 1914 was the spark that set off the war. Germany assured Austria full support, which resulted in an Austrian ultimatum that serbia could not accept. Austria declared war with Serbia. Russia mobilized to defend Serbia, then Germany declared war on France. To avoid the French frontier, German forces moved through neutral Belgium thinking they would take Paris by surprise. The Germans encountered more resistance than expected in Belgium, giving France time to prepare. (Gray) These violations of international law destroyed all sympathy for the Central Powers. Although German forces nearly reached Paris, the British and French miraculously turned back the Germans at the Battle of Marne. The two sides dug trenches for a war that would last a four years. The Russians then attacked sending Germany into a two front war. The Germans defeated the Russians Many tim es on the east. But the allies blockaded the Germans on the east by cuttunf off food and raw materials, the Germans became desperate to break the blockade, so they declared unrestricted submarine warfare. (Hadley) After several American ships were sunk, the United States entered the war in 1917. The Russians were in the middle of several revolutions so they were not a threat to the Germans. In 1918 when the Germans did not have to worry about the east, they launched an all out offensive attack in the west, but the United Allies slowly turned the tide. Realizing the situation was hopeless the German High Command urged william to let a new civil government sue for peace. Woodrow Wilson, U.S. President from 1913 ro 1921, insisted on dealing with citizens. Williamgrudgingly appointed Prince Max of Ba... ...nized the monetary system and encourage industry. Stresemann introduced a new currency and paved the way for more reasonable reparation schedules. For five years Germany enjoyed relative peace and prosperity. In 1926 Germany joined the league of Nations. In 1929 when the worldwide depression hit it plunged the city into disaster. Millions of unemployed, disillusioned by capitalist democracy, turned to communism or to the party of National socialism led by Aldolf Hitler. (Griffith) In notable efforts called the Munich Putsch of 1923 Hitler and the Nazis made a farcical attempt to seize power in Bavaria. From 1930 on the government functioned by emergency decree. The communist profited briefly from radicalization, but the main beneficiary was the Nazi party. The Nazi party had twin attractions of appearing to offer radical solutions to economic problems while upholding patriotic values. (Hadley) By 1932 it was the largest party in the Reighstag. The next year President Paul von Hin deburg appointed Hitler Chancellor after allowing himself to be convicted by generals and right-wing politicians that only the Nazi leader could restore order in Germany and that he could be controlled.