The Stab-in-the-Back Legend and Its Origins

One of the most consequential historical debates in 20th-century Germany centered on the condition of the Imperial Army in late 1918. Was it still an undefeated force in the field, as right-wing nationalists later claimed? Or had it already disintegrated from within due to exhaustion and internal dissent? This question extended historian Fritz Fischer’s earlier challenge to nationalist myths—particularly the idea that Germany had been forced into war in 1914 by foreign aggression.

The “stab-in-the-back” myth (Dolchstoßlegende) insisted that the German military had been betrayed by domestic politicians, especially leftists and revolutionaries. This narrative, eagerly promoted by figures like General Erich Ludendorff, blamed civilian “weakness” for Germany’s defeat rather than military failure. It poisoned Weimar Republic politics and later fueled Nazi propaganda.

The Unraveling of the Western Front

By mid-1918, Germany’s strategic position was dire. The failure of the Spring Offensive (Operation Michael) marked a turning point. Military historian Wilhelm Deist documented widespread covert “soldiers’ strikes”—unofficial refusals to fight—preceding the more famous Kiel Mutiny. Comparative studies revealed that while German troops held out longer than their French or Russian counterparts, morale had collapsed by summer.

Key indicators of disintegration included:
– Mass surrenders (70-75% of losses in battles like Amiens and Saint-Mihiel were prisoners)
– Severe malnutrition and influenza outbreaks (500,000 soldiers infected by July)
– Disparities in supplies between elite “mobile divisions” and depleted trench units

Ludendorff’s leadership exacerbated the crisis. His insistence on continued offensives ignored the army’s physical and psychological exhaustion. As Australian war photographer Frank Hurley’s composite images showed, Allied superiority in tanks, aircraft, and logistics made Germany’s position untenable.

The Political Consequences of Military Failure

The military’s collapse had immediate political repercussions:

1. The Fall of Diplomat Richard von Kühlmann
When Kühlmann suggested negotiated peace in June 1918, Ludendorff orchestrated his dismissal, reinforcing the myth that politicians—not generals—had sabotaged victory.

2. The September 1918 Crisis
After Bulgaria’s surrender and the Allied breakthrough at the Siegfried Line, Ludendorff demanded an armistice—but shifted blame to the new parliamentary government under Prince Max von Baden.

3. The Naval Mutiny and Revolution
The doomed order for a final naval sortie in October triggered the Kiel Mutiny, sparking nationwide revolts that toppled the monarchy by November 9.

Legacy: How the Myths Shaped History

The stab-in-the-back legend had devastating long-term effects:
– Weimar’s Instability: Right-wing factions used it to discredit democracy.
– Nazi Ascendancy: Hitler weaponized the myth to demand military revival and revenge.
– Historical Reassessment: Post-1945 scholarship (like Fischer’s) systematically debunked these claims, showing the army’s material and moral collapse in 1918 was undeniable.

The events of 1918 also revealed deeper truths about industrialized warfare. As German soldier Herbert Sulzbach noted, the Allies’ ability to integrate new technologies (like Renault tanks) and American manpower made Germany’s defeat inevitable—a lesson forgotten by 1939.

Conclusion: Why 1918 Still Matters

The German army’s failure was not betrayal but exhaustion—of men, resources, and ideas. The persistence of the stab-in-the-back myth underscores how societies struggle to confront military defeat. Its echoes in modern populism—where complex failures are blamed on internal “enemies”—make this history urgently relevant.

As Ludendorff himself admitted in his darker moments: continuing the war by November 1918 would have been “an irresponsible gamble.” The real betrayal was prolonging the suffering when the outcome was clear.