militaristic and expansionist characteristics have been argued
to be the result of germanys development and industrial path
Sonderweg theory: germany took
a strange oath in its development
and industrialisation
Hans Ulrich Wehler, David Blackburn, Geoff Eley
william shirer: it is all too clear
where national socialism had
come from: germanys history from
Martin Luther King to Frederick
the Great and the Kaiser formed a
logical continuum of subservience
to authority, rampant nationalism
and inherent anti-semitism
Jill stephenson: but whether there was a common
western model of development is doubtful
not the only peculiarity:
Industrialisation very quick compared to other western countries. from
1850 to 1914
failed revolution in 1848- unified
through military means
old elites remained very powerful
incomplete revolution in 1918
failed revolutions of the bourgeoisie classes that
have been most influential in creating a germany
where extermist ideas can take root
because the German bourgeoisie class had failed to have a revolution like it would
have in other european countries 'irrationalism, inwardness and cultural pessimism
appear as burdens which prevented the German bourgeoisie from fighting for its proper
objectives
created a passive bourgeoisie where support for
refomist movements failed to take root, such as
pacifism, feminism or ultimately support for
western liberal democracy
Germany since the 19th century has been characterised as a militaristic and
expansionist country
one of the main characteristics of imperial germany
was that Germany was military nation
army came out of unification with
high prestige
conscription at 18 for three years
army used as a way to train the youth, school of the nation,
breeding conservative soldiers prepared to defend the
monarchy against revolution
social democrats and liberals werent
happy about the prestige of the army
WW1: german military thinking,
causes of WW1: imperialism
(germany throwing its weight
around) masses wanted war or
myth of unity?
From weimar to third reich? radicalisation of the voter: still mainly
thinking about foreign policy
hitler: gave people something to do
wanted a strong germany
Hitler wanted to expand-
living space in the East. did
everyone want to? becoming
one of the worlds powers,
revision of the Treaty of
Versailles
Situational factors?
grievances and humiliation felt
from the treaty of Versialles
economic problems of interwar period
Ludwig Von Mises: in the 1870s Germany began to differ from
othe countries. German nationalists made what they believed
was a great discovery. The discovered that there nation was the
strongest in Europe
believed that they could become a massive colonial
power