Germany and the First World War 1914–1918

The First World War transformed Germany utterly. It began with patriotic euphoria in August 1914 and ended with military defeat, revolution, and the collapse of the Kaiserreich. The key question is: how did the war change Germany's political, economic, and social structures, and why did the monarchy collapse?

Key Definition: The Burgfrieden ('fortress peace') was the political truce declared at the outbreak of war, in which all parties — including the SPD — agreed to suspend domestic disputes and support the war effort. The Reichstag voted unanimously for war credits on 4 August 1914.

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The Schlieffen Plan and Early Campaigns

The German war plan (modified by Helmuth von Moltke the Younger) called for a rapid western offensive through neutral Belgium to knock out France in six weeks, before turning east against Russia. It failed: