ABSTRACT
The attitude of the French and the German socialist parties on war and peace roughly reflected the positions of the respective civil and military authorities. The conversion to moderation of Erzberger and other non-socialist German politicians led to the formation of a bloc in the Reichstag, comprising the majority Social Democrats, the Zentrum and some progressive-radical groups; they had a parliamentary majority, and on 19 July 1917 carried the so-called 'Peace Resolution'. The Independent Social Democrats naturally refused to vote for a declaration that Germany's war had always been one of defence, and that the German people must fight on in unison. The anti-war conference was attended by two extreme left- wing groups, the International Socialists of Germany and the Spartacus League. Philipp Scheidemann explained in his Memoirs that one of the purposes of that speech had been to force the government to dissociate itself from the Pan-Germans.
