YEARS OF CRISES

HOW SUCCESSFUL WAS THE LoN IN THE 1920s – 1930s?

PEACEKEEPING 1920-25

-The territorial changes of the Versailles settlement led to crisis in Europe. (page 93)

-The League was not able to solve all of them.

-However, it seemed there was “a good chance that Europe had found a workable successor to the pre-1914 states system.

ATTEMPTS TO STRENGTHEN THE LEAGUE

-France initiated two attempts to strengthen the League in 1923 and 1924.-1923: Draft Treaty of Mutual Assistance. All members would come to the assistance of a victim of aggression.-1924: Geneva Protocol. Arbitration would be compulsory in all disputes.-Britain, its dominions and the Scandinavian powers rejected them.-Thus, the League remained divided between those states that wanted a strong LoN to enforce the existing territorial agreements, and those that wanted to be more selective in dealing with aggression.

THE RUHR CRISIS (1923)

-The USA did not ratify the Treaty of Versailles and signed a separate treaty with Germany.-The political situation in Germany didn’t seem likely to produce a government keen to comply with the Versailles Treaty.-In October 1921 the Wiesbaden Accords were drawn and France accepted to take a portion of the reparations in raw material and industrial produce.-The following year Germany fell behind with the payments and France was inclined to use force to solve the situation.-This became a crisis when Germany asked for the payments to be suspended for 4 years.

- France and Belgium with the support of Italy moved troops into the Ruhr Valley in January 1923.

- The German government of Chancellor Wilhelm Cuno protested and instructed the workers to strike but continued to pay the workers (page 95).

- France and Belgium with the support of Italy moved troops into the Ruhr Valley in January 1923.

- The German government of Chancellor Wilhelm Cuno protested and instructed the workers to strike but continued to pay the workers (page 95).

- The printing of money caused hyperinflation while France encouraged the unemployed in France and Belgium to work in the Ruhr industries.

- Cuno was replaced by Gustave Stresemann in August 1923.- In 1924 the crisis was ended by the Dawes Plan which

decided the following:

- Reparations were to be guaranteed by two mortgages, one on the railways and on the industries.

- A US “reparation agent” would reside in Germany to supervise repayments.

- Repayments were to be reduced.

-The crisis threw up serious problems with the integrity of the LoN.

-France had taken matters into its own hands and attempted to seize payments by force.

-Britain and Sweden had attempted to bring the LoN into the crisis but were blocked by France.

-Even though the settlement of the crisis gave gains to France the results of its actions increased the tension between France and Germany.

THE RAPALLO TREATY (1922)

-In April 1922 Germany and Russia introduced diplomatic relations and future cooperation.

-Germany recognized the Soviet government and provided for close economic cooperation.

-Germany was allowed to rearm and train secretly in Russia.

-This convinced Britain that Germany had to be accepted rather tan alienated.

-Germany became even friendlier with Russia.

THE LOCARNO PACT (1925)

-Although the French retreated from the Ruhr Valley, there were allied troops in other Rhineland cities.

-Stresemann didn’t want any occupying forces in Germany nor an independent Rhineland.

KELLOG-BRIAND PACTYOUNG PLAN

LOCARNO CONFERENCE

THE LOCARNO CONFERENCE

-In February 1925 in Switzerland, Germany voluntarily agreed to give its claims over Alsace-Lorraine, Malmedy and Eupen which was greatly welcomed by France and Belgium. France in return would not invade again and it wouldn’t encourage Rhineland to be independent.

-Germany, Poland and Czechoslovaquia agreed to change borders by arbitration only.

-Germany was to be admitted in the LoN.

-This gave hope for future security (Locarno Spirit)

-The treaties didn’t guarantee Eastern borders, and the border with Italy.

-Locarno undermined the Treaty of Versailles and the LoN.

THE YOUNG PLAN (1929)

-It attempted to redress some of the problems that remained with the Dawes Plan.

-Three main objectives:

- It further reduced the total sum to be repaid by Germany.

- Set a date for completion of repayments (1988)

- Continued US involvement in reparation payments.

-Also Britain and France agreed to end their occupation of the Rhineland five years earlier tan scheduled.

-Keynes wrote in 1926 that the reparation arrangements were “in the hands of the American capitalists”.

KELLOGG-BRIAND PACT (1928)

-It was initiated by American Secretary of State William Kellogg and French Foreign Minister Aristide Briand.

-It renounced “war as an instrument of national policy”

-It was seen as an important declaration by government that they would pursue their objectives through peaceful means.

-It has been seen as the high point of Locarno spirit era.

-It could be argued that there were no big problems in the 1920s because Germany was still recovering from WWI and it was a period or relative economic boom and prosperity which decreased international tensions and encouraged cooperation.