General Hans von Seeckt (1866-1936) was the military conception of the Weimar Republic, which sought to restore Germany's international acceptance and security after the defeat in World War I and the Treaty of Versailles in 1919. The failure of this policy ultimately led to the rise of Hitler and Nazi Germany. Hans von Seeckt came from the traditional German military class, served with distinction in the war, and became Chief of the Army at the Reichswehr Ministry. His role was to reconstruct the devastated German army in the face of the punitive terms of the post-war settlement imposed by the victorious Entente powers, which drastically reduced its strength and imposed burdensome economic terms. His goal was to create a modern and efficient army - a new German military force - with the primary strategy of peaceful defense and the restoration of Germany to the community of nations. This original and long-term policy was opposed by the movement seeking revenge for the defeat - a "stab in the back" - primarily led by his opponent, General Erich Ludendorff, whose aim was to rebuild the once powerful German imperial military force as a significant international power. The failure of von Seeckt's experiment reflected the collapse of the Weimar Republic and the rise of Hitler and Nazi Germany.

Pages: 288, Dimensions: 15.6x15.6cm