Hello, welcome to History here at Oak National Academy.

My name is Mr. Newton, and I'll be your teacher today guiding you through the entire lesson.

Let's get started.

In this topic, we are using our big inquiry question.

Why were the NSDAP so unsuccessful before 1929? This question will guide our investigation into the early development of the Nazi Party.

Imagine you are living in Germany in 1923.

Your life savings can barely buy a loaf of bread.

Political violence is erupting in the streets and many people have lost faith in the government.

The country is in chaos.

Hyperinflation has made money worthless and foreign troops occupy parts of Germany.

In this climate of desperation, radical groups are gaining influence and some believe that only a revolution can save Germany.

Today we will explore how Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party attempted to overthrow the government in the Munich Putsch.

Was it an act of reckless desperation or a calculated step toward a larger plan? Let's find out.

By the end of this lesson, you will be able to describe the causes, events, and consequences of the Munich Putsch.

Before you begin, there are a few keywords that we need to understand.

A fascist is someone who supports a system based on a very powerful leader, state control, and being extremely proud of country and race and in which political opposition is not allowed.

A putsch is a sudden and often violent attempt to overthrow a government usually carried out by a small group.

Bavarian is related to Bavaria, a state in southern Germany, which had its own local government based in Munich, the state capital.

And "My Struggle" is the English translation of "Mein Kampf", a book written by Hitler while in prison in which he outlined his life story, political beliefs and plans for Germany's future.

Today's lesson is split up into three parts.

We'll first look at what caused the Munich Putsch before moving on to the actual events that took place during the Putsch.

And finally, we look at the consequences of this Putsch.

Let's begin the lesson with the reasons for the Munich Putsch.

In the cold autumn of 1923, Germany stood on the brink of collapse.

The streets of Berlin, Munich and countless other cities were filled with desperation.

Men carted wheelbarrows of worthless bank notes to buy a loaf of bread and political parties with their armed para militaries clashed in the streets.

The Weimar Republic was widely associated with Germany's defeat in the First World War, the humiliation of the Treaty of Versailles, the devastating hyperinflation that rendered the Mark worthless and the occupation of the Ruhr by French and Belgian troops.

Revolution seemed imminent.

Among the many radical movements that had emerged in the post-war chaos was the Nazi Party.

The Nazis believed they could rebuild Germany, and by 1923, Adolf Hitler had taken full control of the party growing its popularity in Munich by railing against the unpopular Weimar politicians whom he blamed for Germany's humiliation.

The Nazis had also gained the backing of general Erich Ludendorff.

And if you look at the bottom left photo, we can see General Ludendorff on the right, and he's standing next to the Kaiser who's in the centre of the image.

And this photo was taken during the First World War.

Ludendorff was the former wartime commander and a close advisor to the Kaiser.

Ludendorff's support greatly enhanced the Nazi Party's credibility and influence, particularly among ex soldiers and nationalists.

Emboldened by his growing support, Hitler began plotting to overthrow the Weimar Republic in what would become known as the Munich Putsch.

Okay, let's have a check for understanding.

Which three political and economic crises were creating a fertile environment for extremism and rebellion in 1920s Germany? A, hyperinflation.

B, the Ruhr occupation.

C, the Treaty of Versailles resentment.

D, the unification of Germany.

Pause the video, select the three correct answers, and then come right back.

Okay, welcome back.

So the three events which were fueling extremism were A, hyperinflation.

B, the Ruhr occupation, and C, the Treaty of Versailles resentment.

Okay, let's continue.

So Hitler was inspired by the Italian fascist movement led by Benito Mussolini, and indeed it seemed that Hitler was modelling his strategy based on what Mussolini had done in Italy.

Have a look at a photo.

We can see Mussolini inspecting his troops.

Mussolini and the fascist movement hoped to raise Italy to the level of its great Roman past.

And I've highlighted an Italian soldier doing the Roman salute.

This was a gesture to Italy's ancient Roman history.

However, it became more associated with fascism and later to the Nazi Party.

Fascists believed that dictatorship was the best form of government.

They argued that a strong and all powerful leader whose authority was based on military might was the right course for countries which wanted to become strong and assertive.

Fascists were also strongly opposed to democracy.

They saw it as weak and disorganised.

These ideas resonated with Hitler.

In 1922, Mussolini's followers had staged a march on Rome, a bold show of force that pressured the Italian king into handing him power.

Mussolini had seized power in Italy and transformed it into a dictatorship.

Hitler became convinced he could replicate this success in Germany and Munich seemed the ideal starting point.

Okay, let's have a check for understanding.

How did Mussolini's actions in Italy influence Hitler's plan for the Munich Putsch? A, Hitler copied Mussolini's march on Rome strategy.

B, Mussolini and Hitler led the Putsch together.

C, Mussolini personally funded Hitler's Putsch.

Pause the video, have a think and then come right back.

Okay welcome back, and well done If you knew that Hitler was influenced by Mussolini because A, he copied Mussolini's march on Rome strategy.

Okay, let's continue.

Have a look at this map of Germany.

Germany's the dark peach area on the map, and it's important to note that Germany is not just one single entity, but is instead divided into different regions or states.

These states each had their own local governments.

One of these states was Bavaria, which you can see outlined in red on the map.

Bavaria was not only one of the largest states in Germany, but also one of the most politically influential.

Its capital city was Munich marked here on the map.

Munich was home to the Bavarian government, meaning Munich was the centre of Bavarian political power, and the politicians based there were responsible for governing the state.

This made Munich a key location for political control, and as we will see, a significant target for Hitler and the Nazi Party during the Munich Putsch.

Hitler believed that by seizing control of the city, he could take over Bavaria and from there launch a larger national revolution to overthrow the Weimar Republic.

The local Bavarian government was led by the state's governor, Gustav von Kahr, General von Lossow and Police Chief von Seisser, who all shared right wing and nationalist sentiments and had even been involved in previous plots against the Weimar government.

However, despite sharing some of Hitler's nationalist views, they were hesitant to align themselves with the Nazis, seeing them as too radical and unpredictable.

Sensing their hesitation, Hitler decided to act.

Confident that he had enough support, he resolved to force the situation.

Okay, let's have a check for understanding.

Complete the sentence with the correct missing word.

Hitler hoped that by seizing control of Munich, he would have control of the blank government, and from there, launch a national revolution to overthrow the Weimar Republic.

Pause the video, fill in the blank, and then come right back.

Okay welcome back.

Let's see how that sentence should have read.

Hitler hopes that by seizing control of Munich, he would have control of the Bavarian government, and from there, launch a national revolution to overthrow the Weimar Republic.

Okay, great.

Let's move on to task A.

What I want you to do here is list the reasons for why Hitler attempted a putsch in Munich.

So you can jot this down in a bullet point list to show that you know the key reasons for why Hitler attempted a putsch in Munich.

Pause the video, have a go at a task, and then come right back.

Welcome back and well done for having a go at that task.

So there's many ways that you could have answered that question, but let's see what your list could have included.

So you might have said that Germany was in a state of collapse due to hyperinflation, and the Weimar government was unpopular 'cause of the World War I defeat and the Treaty of Versailles and the occupation of the Ruhr.

And this made people desperate for change.

You could have said that Hitler and the Nazis had become popular by tapping into this resentment for Weimar politicians, and you could have said that armed paramilitaries and revolutionary movements were clashing in the streets and this made revolution seem possible or normal.

And that Hitler was inspired by the fascist Mussolini and his march on Rome and believed the similar approach could work in Germany.

Or you could have had that Munich was the capital of Bavaria, and it had a strong right wing presence.

And local Bavarian leaders had previously been involved in nationalist plots, and that the Nazis had the backing of the respected General Ludendorff, and this gave Hitler confidence that his putsch would succeed.

And finally, Hitler sensed that Bavarian leaders like von Kahr and von Lossow were sympathetic to nationalism but hesitant, so he decided to force their hand.

Great.

Now that we understand the reasons behind the Munich Putsch, why Germany was in crisis and why Hitler saw an opportunity to seize power and why Munich was a key location.

Let's now move on to the second part of our lesson.

The events of the Munich Putsch itself.

On the evening of the 8th of November, 1923, the fifth anniversary of the German Revolution in 1918, the Munich Putsch began.

Take a look at this image.

This is the interior of a beer hall in Munich, similar to the one where the Munich Putsch began.

Beer halls like this were not just places for social gatherings.

There were important venues for political meetings and speeches.

This particular beer hall was filled with people on that night listening to a speech by the Bavarian leader Gustav von Kahr.

Suddenly the doors burst open and Adolf Hitler accompanied by armed members of the SA stormed in.

Hitler ordered a shot to be fired into the ceiling to silence the crowd, and then declared that the Bavarian government had now been overthrown.

He then forced the Bavarian leader's, Kahr, Lossow and Seisser into a side room.

There Hitler laid out his plan.

He would lead a march on Berlin and installed himself as head of a new national government with General Ludendorff in charge of the army.

In exchange for their support, the three Bavarian leaders would be rewarded with key positions in the new regime.

Returning to the main hall, Hitler delivered an impassioned speech and the crowd rallied behind him.

With no real choice, Kahr, Lossow and Seisser returned to the stage and publicly pledged their support.

Okay, let's have a check for understanding.

Complete the sentence with the correct missing words.

After Hitler surrounded the blank with the SA and rallied the crowd behind him, blank, Lossow and Seisser had no choice but to publicly pledge their support.

Pause the video, fill in the blanks, and then come right back.

Okay, welcome back.

Let's see how that sentence should have read.

After Hitler surrounded the beer hall with the SA and rallied the crowd behind him, Kahr, Lossow and Seisser had no choice but to publicly pledge their support.

However, Hitler's plan quickly unravelled.

Hitler left to coordinate with his supporters in the city and in his absence, Ludendorff naively trusting in military honour freed Kahr and the others believing that they would keep to their word.

Once released, however, they immediately withdrew their support and contacted the army, police and media to denounce Hitler's actions.

The next morning on the 9th of November, Hitler, Ludendorff and 2000 Nazi supporters marched toward Munich City Centre.

Have a look at image on the left.

This photograph captures a pivotal moment in the Munich Putsch.

As Nazi supporters marched into the main city square.

The Nazis were hoping to rally public support and seize power by force.

They were hoping to replicate Mussolini's march on Rome from the previous year.

However, at the main square, they were confronted by hundreds of armed police officers.

The two groups faced off for a brief tense moment, until gunfire shattered the silence.

In the chaotic shootout, 16 Nazis and four policemen were killed.

In the confusion, Hitler was thrown to the ground, dislocating his shoulder.

His loyal deputies, Rudolph Hess and Hermann Goring fled the scene.

Ludendorff still believing in the glory of battle, marched forward alone and was arrested on the spot.

Two days later, on the 11th of November, Hitler was found hiding in a country house nursing his injured arm.

He was promptly arrested.

The Munich Putsch had ended in failure.

Okay, let's have a check for understanding.

Why did the Munich Putsch fail? Select two correct answers.

A, the Bavarian leaders withdrew their support.

B, the German army joined Hitler's side.

C, the Nazis had superior weapons and numbers.

D, the Nazis were confronted by armed police.

Pause the video, select your two correct answers, and then come right back.

Okay, welcome back, and well done if you knew that the Munich Putsch failed because A, the Bavarian leaders withdrew their support and D, the Nazis were confronted by armed police.

Okay, great.

Let's move on to task B.

What I want you to do here is complete the table by detailing what's happened during the Munich Putsch.

And you can see in the first column on the left hand side of the table there, we've got four events of the Munich Putsch.

And in the next column, this is where I want you to detail what's happened in each of those events.

Pause the video, complete the table, and then come right back.

Okay, welcome back and well done for having a go at that task.

So there's many ways that you could have written that answer, and your tables might look slightly different from the one I have here, but let's read through the table that I have here.

So for the first event on the 8th of November, 1923, this was the beer hall takeover.

So what's happened? So you might have written that Hitler and SA stormed the Munich beer hall where Kahr was speaking, and that Hitler ordered a shock to be fired into the ceiling and declared the Bavarian government overthrown.

And that those Bavarian leaders, Kahr, Lossow and Seisser were taken into a side room and pressured to support Hitler's plan to march on Berlin.

And that eventually they publicly pledged their support.

For the next event, Ludendorff releases the Bavarian leaders.

You could have said that Hitler had left to organise supporters elsewhere, and that during this time, Ludendorff trusting their loyalty, freed Kahr, Lossow and Seisser, and they immediately contacted the army, police and media to oppose Hitler.

Okay, the next event on the 9th of November, 1923, this was the march on Munich.

Might have said that Hitler, Ludendorff and 2000 Nazis marched towards the city centre, that they were confronted by hundreds of armed police.

A shootout broke out, killing 16 Nazis and four policemen.

Hitler was thrown to the ground and injured while Ludendorff was arrested, and Hess and Goring fled the scene.

And the final event there, 11th of November, 1923, Hitler's arrest.

You could have put that Hitler was hiding in a country house.

He was arrested and the Munich Putsch had failed.

Okay, great.

So far we have explored why Hitler attempted the Munich Putsch and how the events unfolded.

At first glance, the Putsch was a complete failure.

Hitler was arrested, and the Nazis' attempt to cease power had collapsed.

But was this really the end of Hitler's ambitions? Now we turn to the final part of our lesson.

The consequences of the Munich Putsch.

Desperate to cover up their own half-hearted involvement, the Bavarian authorities persuaded the Weimar government to hold Hitler's trial in Munich.

The reason for this was that if the trial was in Munich, they could control the outcome of the trial and avoid exposing their revolutionary sympathies.

In other words, if the Bavarian leaders could get the trial to take place on their home turf, they could ensure that any embarrassing details of their involvement would not get publicly revealed.

This also allowed a favourable judge to be chosen.

The judge they chose was a known nationalist, sympathetic to Hitler's views.

Let's take a look at this photograph.

This image taken in 1924 shows the defendants of the Munich Putsch trial.

In the centre, we can see Adolf Hitler standing next to General Ludendorff.

The courtroom was filled with anticipation as Hitler rose to speak.

It was February, 1924, and though he was on trial for treason, the fallout from the failed Munich Putsch would become a turning point for both Hitler and the Nazi Party.

Wearing his iron cross with pride, he cast himself as an honourable soldier rather than a criminal.

The judge allowed Hitler to use the courtroom as a stage.

Hitler's fiery speeches broadcast across the country portrayed him as a patriot who had tried to save his country.

While taking full responsibility for the Putsch, Hitler insisted that history would vindicate him.

Overnight, Hitler and the Nazi Party became famous across Germany.

The trial ended with the Nazi Party being banned, Hitler's co-conspirators receiving light sentences, and Hitler being sentenced to five years in prison and banned from speaking in public.

However, his imprisonment was far from harsh.

His cell was spacious.

Visitors came freely and admirers showered him with gifts.

In the end, he served only nine months, but those months would change the course of history.

Okay, let's have a check for understanding.

Hitler's trial was held in Munich because the Bavarian authorities wanted to ensure a fair judgement.

Is that true or false? Pause the video.

Have a think and then come right back.

Okay, welcome back and well done if you knew that was false, but why is it false? I want you to justify your answer.

So pause the video, have a think about why the statement's false, and then come right back.

Okay, welcome back, and well done if you knew that was false was because the Bavarian authorities arranged for the trial to be held in Munich so they could control the outcome and avoid exposing their own connections to the Putsch.

Okay, let's have another check.

What were the short term consequences of the Munich Putsch? Select two correct answers.

A, Hitler became the governor of Bavaria.

B, Hitler was sentenced to prison.

C, the Nazi Party were banned.

D, the Weimar Republic collapsed.

Pause the video, select your two correct answers, and then come right back.

Okay welcome back, and well done if you knew that the short term consequences of the Munich Putsch were B, Hitler was sentenced to prison and C, the Nazi Party were banned.

It was in his prison cell that Hitler wrote "My Struggle", or in German "Mein Kampf".

The photo shows copies of "Mein Kampf" or "My Struggle" displayed in a bookshop in the Netherlands in 1942.

During the Second World War.

Even nearly two decades after it was written, the book was still being widely distributed and used to promote Nazi ideas.

However, when Hitler first began writing his book in prison in 1924, it was difficult to imagine it gaining much attention or selling in great numbers.

The title "Mein Kampf" meaning "My Struggle" reflects both Hitler's personal hardships and his broader political fights to reshape Germany.

The word struggle seemed to be at the core of Hitler's outlook.

He believed that struggle, competition, and survival of the fittest were a necessity of life.

He also saw perpetual struggle or competition as an essential part of nationhood.

Nations that were courageous and hardworking would prosper.

Those that did not, would weaken and fade away.

Hitler believed Germany was in a competition of survival with other nations.

In his book, Hitler would detail his life and beliefs and would outline his vision for Germany's future.

Importantly, after the Munich Putsch, Hitler realised that the path to power was not through armed rebellion, but through the manipulation of democracy itself.

The Putsch had failed because he lacked mass support and backing from the establishments.

Violence alone was not enough.

He needed the army, the elites, and the public on his side.

The Nazi Party would have to win support legally and take over the democratic system.

In the short term, the Munich Putsch was a failure, but in the long term, it set the Nazis on the path to power.

In 1925, the ban on the Nazi Party was lifted, and Hitler refound the movement determined to reshape Germany according to the vision he had outlined in "My Struggle".

Okay, let's have a check for understanding.

What were the long-term consequences of the Munich Putsch? Select two correct answers.

A, Hitler abandoned politics permanently.

B, Hitler gained national fame after his trial.

C, the Nazi Party reemerged with a new strategy.

D, the Weimar Republic collapsed immediately.

Pause the video, select your two correct answers, and then come right back.

Okay welcome back, and well done if you knew that the long-term consequences of the Munich Putsch were B, Hitler gained national fame after his trial, and C, the Nazi Party reemerged with a new strategy.

Okay, great.

Let's move on to the final task.

Task C.

What I want you to do here is explain the consequences of the Munich Putsch.

And to help you to structure your answer, I want you to write one paragraph for each of the following.

So you can write one paragraph on the short term consequences of the Munich Putsch and then your second paragraph will be under long term consequences.

Pause the video, have a go at the task, and then come right back.

Okay welcome back, and well done for having a go at that task.

So there's many ways that you may have answered that question, but check your answer with the one I have here.

The 1923 Munich Putsch had several important consequences for both Hitler and the Nazi Party.

Firstly, in the short term, the putsch was a failure.

Two days after the Putsch, Hitler was arrested and later put on trial for treason.

The Nazi Party were also banned, and many of Hitler's supporters either fled or were imprisoned.

The attempted rebellion had failed to overthrow the Weimar government and 16 Nazis had been killed in the shootout with the police.

And for your second paragraph on the long term consequences of the Munich Putsch, you may have written.

However, in the long term, the putsch helped Hitler gain national recognition.

During his trial in February, 1924, Hitler was allowed to make long speeches and use the courtroom as a platform to spread Nazi ideas.

His passionate defence of his actions made him a well-known figure across Germany.

Instead of being harshly punished, he received a lenient five year prison sentence of which he served only nine months.

Another key consequence was that Hitler changed his strategy.

While in prison he wrote his book, "My Struggle", or "Mein Kampf", outlining his vision for Germany's future.

He realised that taking power through violent rebellion was not effective, and instead decided that the Nazi Party would gain power legally by winning elections.

This shift in strategy was crucial to the Nazi's later success.

Overall while the Munich Putsch initially failed, it played a major role in shaping Hitler's future approach.

Okay, great.

Let's summarise today's lesson, the Munich Putsch.

The Weimar Republic was deeply unpopular due to hyperinflation, the Treaty of Versailles and the occupation of the Ruhr, making many Germans desperate for change.

Hitler was influenced by the fascist leader, Mussolini, whose 1922 march on Rome convinced him that a similar putsch in Germany could succeed.

Munich had a strong nationalist presence and Hitler believed Bavarian leaders might support his uprising.

However, they withdrew support leading to a failed march on Munich, a deadly shootout and Hitler's arrest.

In prison, Hitler wrote "My Struggle" or "Mein Kampf" outlining his vision for Germany.

He realised he needed to take power legally rather than through violence.

In the long term, the putsch set the Nazis on a path to power.

Well done on a brilliant lesson, and the Munich Putsch was, in the short term a complete failure.

But as we've seen, it became a turning point for Hitler and the Nazi Party.

However, at this stage, the Nazis remain a small fringe movement far from achieving national power.

Next time we'll continue our inquiry by asking why were the NSDAP so unsuccessful before 1929? See you then.