Reasons for German defeat (1 Viewer)

[georgia-ellen]

Hey, does anyone have any information about the reasons for German defeat?
I have to do a speech on it
Would be much appreciated
Thanks

 

[kelllly]

Hi georgia-ellen.

The reasons for Germany's defeat included:

1. Strains on the German home front: By 1916, the strains on the German home front were apparent, and included queuing, inflation, severe shortages and inequality of suffering. Combined with the increasing casualty rates, these strains caused resentment and created disillusionment and war-weariness. They led to major strikes, weakened war production and decreased morale.
2. Allied control of the Sea: The Allied control of the sea ensured a steady supply of troops, food and ammunition to the Western Front. The Allied blockade caused enormous hardship for the German economy. It placed severe limits on the economy's ability to supply its armies. It was also responsible for the strains on the home front.
3. Allied economic superiority: Even before the involvement of the USA, the Allies had a combined industrial manufacturing production greater than that of Germany and Austria-Hungary.
4. The weakness of Germany's Allies: The economic capacity of Germany's Allies was limited compared to the Allied war effort. Furthermore, Germany had to constantly reinforce the Austrians on the Eastern Front.
5. The role of the USA: The USA provided resources (both material and human) for the Allies. It also provided huge loans for the financing of the Allied war effort. Although the arrival of American troops had no immediate effect (as they had to be properly trained and equipped), they did serve as a major blow to German morale. The troops played a significant part in the Allied counteroffensive of August-November 1918.
6. Allied use of technology: British factories were delivering large quantities of tanks (of a better model), machine-guns, Lewis guns, trench mortars and shells. The tank played a decisive role in the Allied counterattacks on the Western Front in August 1918. It provided a weapon that broke the stalemate of trench warfare and allowed the war of movement to resume. However it can be argued that the war of attrition rather than the tank ended the stalemate. By the time the tank was reliable enough, the war had been lost by Germany.
7. Manpower of the Central Powers: Germany lacked the human resources to sustain a long war. There were not enough men and women working on the home front. By early 1916, food shortages were resulting in riots and strikes. Continuous heavy losses resulted in raw recruits fighting for Germany in 1918. By this stage 27 Allied states were fighting the four Central Powers.
8. The failure of the Schlieffen Plan: Germany's failure at the Marne and the subsequent 'Race to the Sea' meant that Germany had to fight a two-front war. Consequently, its resources were stretched throughout the war.
9. The exhaustion of the German army: The morale of the German army was crumbling towards the end of the war because the initial successes of the Spring Offensive were waning. Disciplinary problems also existed, desertion rates rose and the army was suffering from a vicious influenza epidemic.
10. Improved Allied Generalship: By 1918, many of the poor-performing generals had been removed and replaced by junior officers who gained their experience in the field. Under the united command of the French General Foch, these new generals made better use of tanks and effectively combined various elements of warfare.

 

[kelllly]

Good luck with your speech!

 

[annabackwards]

What Kelly said, but add in the failure of the Spring Offensive AKA Operation Michael (1918) - if successful it could have very well led to Germany's victory but instead the details of the plan where not worked out and the offensive basically ran out of steam. That and the Germans realised that the government intel at home saying the British were actually worser off than the Germans were found to be lies when they took over trenches, decreasing morale and trust not only in the German goverment but their senior officers

 

[kelllly]

Oh, thanks Anna.

 

[annabackwards]

No worries, you did an awesome job by yourself anyway ^^

 

[kelllly]

 

[georgia-ellen]

Thank you so much both of you!
I had some of that, but that really cleared it up..especially crap on the internet it gets so confusing, and my texts book isn't very detailed.

Hope you both went snazzily in your HSC, I'm so jealous of you right now
gaaah!

 

[Kittikhun]

Damn, those are some really good notes kelly. If you just typed down those reasons for Germany's defeat from your head, I would really be surprised if you don't get a state ranking for MH.

 

[kelllly]

Thank you so much both of you!
I had some of that, but that really cleared it up..especially crap on the internet it gets so confusing, and my texts book isn't very detailed.

Hope you both went snazzily in your HSC, I'm so jealous of you right now
gaaah!

You're welcome. And thank you.
And MWAHAHAHA!

 

[kelllly]

Damn, those are some really good notes kelly. If you just typed down those reasons for Germany's defeat from your head, I would really be surprised if you don't get a state ranking for MH.

Awww, but I didn't.
Oh well. I'll be more than happy if I get a band 6.
And thank you for your compliment.

 

[Ksubi]

yeah.
EPIC FAIL.
for me.

 

[kelllly]

 

[annabackwards]

Thank you so much both of you!
I had some of that, but that really cleared it up..especially crap on the internet it gets so confusing, and my texts book isn't very detailed.

Hope you both went snazzily in your HSC, I'm so jealous of you right now
gaaah!

You'll enjoy freedom soon enough, my friend ^^

Awww, but I didn't.
Oh well. I'll be more than happy if I get a band 6.
And thank you for your compliment.

You'll get a band 6 because i said so

 

[kelllly]

You'll get a band 6 because i said so

Awww! I hope... Fingers crossed!
You, on the other hand, will definitely get a band 6.

 

[annabackwards]

Awww! I hope... Fingers crossed!
You, on the other hand, will definitely get a band 6.

I sure hope so too ^^

 

[ad infinitum]

Hey, does anyone have any information about the reasons for German defeat?
I have to do a speech on it
Would be much appreciated
Thanks

Because Good will always prevail over Evil, i.e when 'Uncle' had his racist nazi swastikas and the good BoSers said 'no, sir, u bigot, take down these symbols of hate' and justice was done, good prevailed over Evil and Uncle was made to take down his Signature of Evil.

 

[Kittikhun]

What Kelly said, but add in the failure of the Spring Offensive AKA Operation Michael (1918) - if successful it could have very well led to Germany's victory but instead the details of the plan where not worked out and the offensive basically ran out of steam. That and the Germans realised that the government intel at home saying the British were actually worser off than the Germans were found to be lies when they took over trenches, decreasing morale and trust not only in the German goverment but their senior officers

Operation Michael never would have succeeded. Logistically wise and strategically wiseas you have mentionned. People say that it was the Australians who were the ones who repulsed back the Germans after Gough's 5th Army collapsed but it wasn't that. It was just that the Germans were exhausted beyond their limits.

 

[Kittikhun]

Thank you so much both of you!
I had some of that, but that really cleared it up..especially crap on the internet it gets so confusing, and my texts book isn't very detailed.

Hope you both went snazzily in your HSC, I'm so jealous of you right now
gaaah!

A tip for all MH students. NEVER EVER FULLY RELY YOUR MH STUDIES ON ONE TEXTBOOK. The textbooks that you are issued are all way to basic and that goes for all editions. They are also full of mistakes and are written in a poor superficial fashion. If you want to get good marks, do a lot of background reading. Wikipedia and the AWM are good sites and anything by Osprey is a must read. Try and stay away from firstworldwar.com since that is full of mistakes too.

 

[annabackwards]

Operation Michael never would have succeeded. Logistically wise and strategically wiseas you have mentionned. People say that it was the Australians who were the ones who repulsed back the Germans after Gough's 5th Army collapsed but it wasn't that. It was just that the Germans were exhausted beyond their limits.

Hehe it's all up to interpretaion, but i'd attribute it to a combination of factors that lead to the Germans being repelled

A tip for all MH students. NEVER EVER FULLY RELY YOUR MH STUDIES ON ONE TEXTBOOK. The textbooks that you are issued are all way to basic and that goes for all editions. They are also full of mistakes and are written in a poor superficial fashion. If you want to get good marks, do a lot of background reading. Wikipedia and the AWM are good sites and anything by Osprey is a must read. Try and stay away from firstworldwar.com since that is full of mistakes too.

LOL i lived off HTA notes and documentaries. I have no idea who Osprey is XD
If you want concise and detailed information, HTA study guide is the way to go for the HSC ^^