In 1918, the British navy blocked German trade routes, preventing German supply ships from delivering food to the ports, leading to severe food shortages and an estimated 750,000 people dying from hunger
The navy rebellions in Kiel and Hamburg, where sailors refused to follow orders and were supported by workers, were the final nail in the coffin for the Kaiser
Philip Scheidermann, a leading member of the Social Democratic Party (SPD), gave a hurried speech to announce the abdication of the Kaiser and the establishment of a republic
Ebert kept the existing civil servants who had run Germany under the Kaiser, as well as communicating with the leaders of the army and industry, and making concessions to trade unions, to maintain control
Despite Ebert's efforts, the threats from extreme political parties and the risk of public unrest remained ever-present throughout the years of the Weimar Republic