Revision

Nazism and Rise of Hitler (class 9th)

Read the source given below and answer the questions that follow:

Germany, a powerful empire in the early years of the twentieth century, fought the First World War alongside the Austrian empire and against the Allies. All joined the war enthusiastically hoping to gain from a quick victory. Little did they realise that the war would stretch on, eventually draining Europe of all its resources. Germany made initial gains by occupying France and Belgium. However, the Allies strengthened by the US entry in 1917, won, defeating Germany and the Central Powers in November 1918. The defeat of Imperial Germany and the abdication of the emperor gave an opportunity to parliamentary parties to recast German polity. A National Assembly met at Weimar and established a democratic constitution with a federal structure. Deputies were now elected to the German Parliament or Reichstag, on the basis of equal and universal votes cast by all adults including women. This republic, however, was not received well by its own people largely because of the terms it was forced to accept after Germany’s defeat at the end of the First World War. The peace treaty at Versailles with the Allies was a harsh and humiliating peace. Germany lost its overseas colonies, a tenth of its population, 13 percent of its territories, 75 percent of its iron and 26 percent of its coal to France, Poland, Denmark and Lithuania. The Allied Powers demilitarised Germany to weaken its power. The War Guilt Clause held Germany responsible for the war and the damages the Allied countries suffered. Germany was forced to pay compensation amounting to £6 billion. The Allied armies also occupied the resource-rich Rhineland for much of the 1920s. Many Germans held the new Weimar Republic responsible for not only the defeat in the war but the disgrace at Versailles.

Answer the following MCQs by choosing the most appropriate option:

1. The government formed at Weimar was a/an ________.

   1. Nazi republic

   2. Monarchial republic

   3. Absolutist republic

   4. Democratic republic

ii) What was the time span of the First World War?

1. 1911-1914

2. 1914-1918

3. 1918-1921

4. 1920-1925

iii) In the question given below, there are two statements marked as Assertion (A) and Reason (R). Read the statements and chose the correct option:

Assertion (A): The Treaty of Versailles signed at the end of World War I, was harsh and humiliating for Germany. Reason (R): It lost 75% of its iron and 26% of its coal to France, Poland, Denmark and Lithuania, was forced to pay compensation of 6 billion pounds.

1. Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A.

2. Both A and R are true but R is not the correct explanation of A.

3. A is correct but R is wrong.

4. A is wrong but R is correct.

iv) How were the deputies elected under the Weimar constitution?

1. On the basis of equal and universal votes cast by active and passive citizens.

2. On the basis of equal and universal votes cast by all adults including women.

3. On the basis of equal and universal votes cast by men owing property.

4. On the basis of equal and universal votes cast by all adults excluding women.