Page 39 - All About History - Issue 54-17

Why B
W
Blame the Kaiser?

It is also striking that after Wilhelm’s abdication
and the formation of the Weimar Republic in 1918, of the war, we must consider that other countries
ex-soldiers launched the Kapp Putsch in 1920 with Wilhelm said that Serbia’s were preparing for battles to expand their own
the aim of toppling the republican government and response was a “capitulation borders. In the mind of Tsar Nicholas II, war was
bringing back the monarchy. Their loyalty to their of the most humiliating kind” the patriotic cause Russia needed to bring his
kaiser — even after Germany had been defeated — and “any reason for war has country together after years of unrest. Austria-
suggests that the army had become politicised and now been eliminated”. These Hungary had been on a war footing since at least
that it should be the military as much as Wilhelm views, however, were not passed 1906 as Emperor Franz Josef expanded into the
being held to account. on to Austria-Hungary. Perhaps it Adriatic. When Serbia did not completely commit
Those trying to exonerate Wilhelm arguably could be claimed that the kaiser had to all the stipulations of the ultimatum, there were
point to their own damning evidence. After surrounded himself with warmongers cheering crowds on the streets of Austria-Hungary.
the assassination of Franz Ferdinand, Austria- who were now ignoring his In total there were 20 million regular and reservist
Hungary sent Serbia an ultimatum if war was to instructions and were out of control. soldiers across Europe — militarisation was by no
be avoided, and Serbia engaged, accepting some Although it is certainly true that German means confined to Germany.
of the proposals while compromising on others. military aggression was a key factor in the start Whether Wilhelm alone is guilty of
warmongering is impossible to establish. Given
“IT IS WITH DEEP EMOTION THAT I FIRST the kaiser’s propensity for ranting and raving,
ADDRESS MYSELF TO MY ARMY. WE BELONG hyperbole and empty threats, how can we take
anything he said at face value?
TO ONE ANOTHER, I AND THE ARMY”
VERDICT: SHARED GUILT
WILHELM II, 1888, PROCLAMATION SHORTLY AFTER HIS SUCCESSION
Kaiser
Wilhelm
II, painted
in 1901

Prince
Wilhelm
aged 15.
He became
kaiser 13
years later

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