Ending the war

• • constitutional change was advantageous from the point of view of the senior army members
  • General Paul von Hindenburg and Erich Ludendorff, who had led the war effort on the western front and had played a major role in directing government policy since 1916, supported a change in gov because they did not want to take responsibility for ending the war and admitting defeat
  • a democratic gov to end the war was easier to protect the army leaders from blame for losing the war.