The Reichswehr And Politics 1918 To 1933

Author : William G. Hyland
Publisher :
ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : 314 pages
Book Rating : 4.:/5 (324 download)

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Download or read book The German Army in Politics, 1918-1944 written by William G. Hyland and published by . This book was released on 1954 with total page 314 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The subject matter of this thesis is the German Army as a political factor in the period 1918-1944. From the abdication of the Emporer to the attempted Putsch of July 20, 1944 the German Officers' Corps was a decisive element in the political life of the Weimar Republic and the Third Reich. In general the period has been divided into two major parts: the Weimar Republic, 1918-1933: and the Third Reich, 1933-1945. In addition the two periods have been subdivided into chronological episodes with an emphasis on the dominant personalities of these periods: Generals Groener, won Seeckt, von Schlicher, von Fritsch and Beck. The initial period revolves around the Army and the Revolution. For the first time the Army was without its 'Royal Shield'. In this position the Supreme Command, through the efforts of General Groener concluded their bargain with Friedrich Ebert. On the basis of this agreement the Army operated as the protector of the government while at the same time the institutions of the Army were left intact. During this period the Supreme Command was forced to rely more and more on the idependent Free Corps for physical support. The Kapp Putsch was the logical outgrowth of the split in Officers' Corps over the Versailles Treaty and the increasing power of the Free Corps. The decision of General von Seeckt in refusing to support the government revealed the Reichswehr as a dubious instrument of Republicanism. The failure of the Republic to democratize the Army left von Seeckt in a practically autonomous position of authority. Von Seeckt used his position to create the famous non-political Army. The non-political Reichswehr was undermined by the intrigues of General von Schleicher. After the dismissal of von Seeckt, von Schleicher attempted to use the Army as an arbiter of political authority. Under the protection of President von Hindenburg the Reichswehr names three Chancellors and introduced the wedge of authoritarian government. Finally, the Reichswehr stood calmly aside as Adolf Hitler became Chancellor. The Reichswehr not only approved of the National Socialist revolution, but also supported Hitler's personal succession to von Hindenburg. As a political force the Army failed to function in the early period of National Socialism. Not until the personal attack by Hitler on their prerogatives did they realize the extent of the power of Hitler. After the Fritsch crisis the politics in the Army was concerned with opposition to Hitler's war plans. Finally, the opposition within the Wehrmacht broadened into a Resistance group. The result was the Putsch of July 20, 1944. This was the culmination of the Army's activities as a political factor. The consequences of their policies were of a fateful nature for themselves and Germany.