Wilhelm II, German Emperor after his consent had been gained that major changes to the high command could be effected. Wilhelm was in favour of the dismissal of Helmuth von Moltke the Younger in September 1914 and his replacement by Erich von Falkenhayn. In 1917, Hindenburg and Ludendorff decided that Bethman-Hollweg was no longer acceptable to them as Chancellor and called upon the Kaiser to appoint somebody else. When asked whom they would accept, Ludendorff recommended Georg Michaelis, a nonentity whom he barely knew. The Kaiser did not know Michaelis, but accepted the suggestion. Upon hearing in July 1917 that his cousin George V
SMS Kaiser Wilhelm II Larvik from 10 to 12 December. At 01:30 on 2 January 1901, she was steaming from Danzig to Kiel with "Kaiser Friedrich III" when the latter struck an underwater obstacle. The shock from the collision damaged the ship's boilers and started a fire in the coal bunkers. "Kaiser Wilhelm II" took her sister in tow, although the engines on "Kaiser Friedrich III" were restarted along the way. The ships eventually reached Kiel, where temporary repairs were conducted. "Kaiser Wilhelm II" went into drydock in January 1901 for overhaul and some modernization work. This included the reconstruction of a larger bridge