Welcome to our new mini-series Hinge Points, a tour of historical “what-ifs.” We’re publishing the first episode free to all. Subsequent episodes will post on Fridays exclusively to subscribers on patreon.com/chapotraphouse.

Matt and Danny Bessner, from the American Prestige podcast, take you on a tour of the history of the Social Democratic Party of Germany and explore the importance of the party's decision to vote to fight World War I. They examine the party's structure and history, the clash between party elites and workers, and the importance of nationalism, exploring why World War I represented such a devastating blow against international socialism.