If Germany did not need change, Hitler would not have risen to power. Multiple occurrences after World War I caused the country to plummet into such a despair that the people were desperate for a solution, no matter how extreme. Using that to his advantage, Hitler’s Reich replaced the Weimar Republic. Even so, many countries could have made better choices in order to prevent Germany from reaching that state. Ultimately, the fall of the Republic was caused by Hitler’s accession, which was initiated by various things, starting with the Treaty of Versailles.
The collapse of the Weimar could have been avoided by simply including Germany in the Versailles meeting or allowing them to negotiate the Treaty’s terms. However, the Allies forced the government leaders to accept, their alternative being an Allied invasion. The terms of the Treaty affected Germany’s socio and economic status. Land was taken away from their empire, including land that provided
…show more content…
The prospect of such a coalition, including groups from the political left, frightened the Hindenburg circle even more than the prospect of Hitler” (Kagan, et al. 698). Papen also turned Hindenburg against Schleicher, and Schleicher stepped down. So, Hindenburg gave in to the requests and selected Hitler to be chancellor in 1933 (Kagan, et al. 698-700). Giving him political power was the final factor in the ruin of the Republic. Afterward, there was no turning back. The Enabling Act, passed in 1933, allowed Hitler to legally do whatever he desired. From that point on, he only gained more power and used it to rid the country of any threats (Kagan, et al. 700). If only Schleicher did not quit or Hindenburg had not appealed to Papen’s request, the Weimar Republic could have easily remained alive. Even if it still fell, it would have been in much better hands than