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YEARS OF CRISES
HOW SUCCESSFUL WAS THE LoN IN
THE 1920s – 1930s?
PEACEKEEPING 1920-25
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The territorial changes of the Versailles settlement led to
crisis in Europe. (page 93)
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The League was not able to solve all of them.
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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
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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)
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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.
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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:
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- 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.
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The crisis threw up serious problems with the integrity of the
LoN.
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France had taken matters into its own hands and attempted
to seize payments by force.
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Britain and Sweden had attempted to bring the LoN into the
crisis but were blocked by France.
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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)
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In April 1922 Germany and Russia introduced diplomatic
relations and future cooperation.
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Germany recognized the Soviet government and provided
for close economic cooperation.
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Germany was allowed to rearm and train secretly in Russia.
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This convinced Britain that Germany had to be accepted
rather tan alienated.
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Germany became even friendlier with Russia.
THE LOCARNO PACT (1925)
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Although the French retreated from the Ruhr Valley, there
were allied troops in other Rhineland cities.
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Stresemann didn’t want any occupying forces in Germany
nor an independent Rhineland.
LOCARNO
CONFERENCE
YOUNG PLAN
KELLOG-BRIAND PACT
THE LOCARNO CONFERENCE
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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.
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Germany, Poland and Czechoslovaquia agreed to change borders by
arbitration only.
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Germany was to be admitted in the LoN.
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This gave hope for future security (Locarno Spirit)
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The treaties didn’t guarantee Eastern borders, and the border with Italy.
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Locarno undermined the Treaty of Versailles and the LoN.
THE YOUNG PLAN (1929)
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It attempted to redress some of the problems that remained with the
Dawes Plan.
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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.
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Also Britain and France agreed to end their occupation of the Rhineland
five years earlier tan scheduled.
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Keynes wrote in 1926 that the reparation arrangements were “in the
hands of the American capitalists”.
KELLOGG-BRIAND PACT (1928)
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It was initiated by American Secretary of State William Kellogg and
French Foreign Minister Aristide Briand.
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It renounced “war as an instrument of national policy”
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It was seen as an important declaration by government that they would
pursue their objectives through peaceful means.
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It has been seen as the high point of Locarno spirit era.
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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.