Download INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS (1919

INTERNATIONAL
RELATIONS
(1919-1939)
OVERVIEW
CHANGED WORLD
AFTER WWI
• COLLAPSE OF
AUSTRIAN-HUNGARIAN EMPIRE
NEW COUNTRIES BASED ON
NATIONALITY RATHER THAN
MILITARY STRENGTH OR
DEFENSIBLE BORDERS
NEW COUNTRIES
•
•
•
•
•
AUSTRIA
HUNGARY
CZECHOSLOVAKIA
YUGOSLAVIA
POLAND
Feuding and autarkic
RUSSIAN EMPIRE
FELL APART
• CREATION OF NEW STATES
–
–
–
–
–
–
ESTONIA
LATVIA
LITHUANIA
POLAND
BESSARABIA
FINLAND
RUSSIA FOLLOWED A
NEW SOCIAL,
ECONOMIC, AND
POLITICAL SYSTEM
• COMMUNISM
– STATE OWNERSHIP AND CONTROL
OF ECONOMIC RESOURCES
– PROMOTION OF WORLD-WIDE
PROLETARIAT REVOLUTION
UNITED STATES
• US INTERVENTION DECISIVE TO
OUTCOME OF WWI
• WITHDRAWS IMMEDIATELY
INTO ISOLATIONISM
BRITAIN AND FRANCE
• LACKED THE MEANS AND DESIRE
TO DIRECT INTERNATIONAL
AFFAIRS
• EUROPE WAS ESSENTIALLY A
POWER VACUUM
VICTORIOUS ALLIES
APPROACH PROBLEM OF
EUROPEAN POLITICAL
RECONSTRUCTION
BASED ON TWO FALSE
ASSMPTIONS
• ALLIES HAD WON THE WAR
• GROUND WAS CLEAR FOR JUST
AND ENLIGTENED RE-ORDERING
OF POLITICS
GERMANY HAD ONLY
BEEN PARTLY DEFEATED
MILITARILY
• GERMANY HAD CLEARLY
DEFEATED RUSSIA ON THE
EASTERN FRONT
• TREATY OF BREST-LITOVSK
GERMANY HAD NOT BEEN
DEFEATED IN TWO
AREAS
• EONOMIC POTENTIAL
• POLITICAL IDEAS THAT HAD
DRIVEN ITS WWI EXPANSION
BITTER RESENTMENT
FELT BY GERMANY AT
PEACE TREATY
• REPARATIONS
• WAR GUILT CLAUSE
• LOSS OF TERRITORY TO POLAND,
FRANCE, BELGIUM AND DENMARK
• LOSS OF COLONIES
PROBLEM OF
ENFORCEMENT OF
HATEDTREATY
• TWO STRATEGIES PARTLY
UNSUCCESSFUL
– USE OF FORCE (Ruhr Invasion)
– PERSUADING GERMANS TO ACCEPT
TERMS
THIRD STRATEGY
• USE RESOURCES OF AMERICAN
CAPITALISM TO FUND GERMANY
AND THEREFORE EUROPEAN
STABILITY
• SUCCESSFUL BETWEEN 1924-1929
(Golden Age of Weimar Republic)
RECENT HISTORIANS
SEE NAZISM AS A
PRODUCT OF THE
COMPLEX WORLD
CREATED BY THE
ECONOMIC COLLAPSE OF
1929
BRITAIN AND FRANCE
FOCUSED ON
DOMESTIC PROBLEMS
• SYMPATHETIC TO DISARMAMENT
• INDEPENDENCE MOVEMENTS IN
THEIR COLONIES
• JAPANESE EXPLOITATION OF
THESE INDEPENDENCE
MOVEMENTS
DESTABILIZATION OF
CAPITALISM
• DEBT CANCELLATION BY RUSSIA
• FEARED SPREAD OF COMMUNISM
• SUSPICIOUS OF SOVIET UNION
AND THEIR PROMOTION OF
WORLD REVOLUTION
NAZISM NOT SEEN
IMMEDIATELY AS THE
MAJOR THREAT
• FORMATION OF ALLIANCES TO
DETER GERMANY
• NONE OF WESTERN POWERS
WANTED A WAR
WESTSERN POWERS
WERE LOOKING TOWARD
THEIR OWN NATIONAL
SECURITY
• FRANCE RETREATED BEHIND MAGINOT
LINE
• APPEASEMENT
• ALLIANCE WITH A COMMUNIST
SOVIET UNION TOO PAINFUL TO
CONTEMPLATE (memories of Rapallo)
APPEASEMENT
• INTENDED TO MAKE GERMANY A
RESPONSIBLE MEMBER OF THE
EUROPEAN COMMUNITY
• FAILED-GERMANY WAS
ENCOURAGED TO PURSUE ITS
POLICIES
THIRD STRATEGYALLIGN WITH HITLER
• POLAND SIGNED A NON-AGRESSION
PACT(1934)
• ITALY SIGNED THE PACT OF STEEL
(1938)
• SOVIET UNION SIGNED A NONAGRESSION PACT (1939)
• THE VICHY GOVERNMENT OF FRANCE
(1940)
(form of appeasement)
FAILURE OF
VERSAILLES TREATY
• GERMANY REMAINED A GREAT FORCE
EVEN AFTER DEFEAT
• GERMANY STILL HAD POWERFUL
FRIENDS IN THE WORLD
• GERMANY KEPT 90% OF ITS
RESOURCES
• GERMANY WAS DISARMED BUT WAS
THE TECHNOLOGY LEADER OF EUROPE
GERMANY’S POSITION
IN BALANCE OF POWER
REMAINED UNCHANGED
• NEW NATIONS WERE WEAK
• RUSSIA OUTLAWED AFTER 1917
REVOLUTION
• WOULD GERMANY BE NEEDED TO
STOP SPREAD OF COMMUNISM?
WILSON’S FAILURE
TO KEEP US INVOLVED
IN EUROPE
• SENATE REJECTS THE
VERSAILLES TREATY
• US REJECTS INTERNATIONALISM
FAILURE OF THE
LEAGUE
• NO ARMY (IDEA WAS OPPOSED BY
BRITISH)
• RELIED ON ECONOMIC SANCTIONS
• GERMANY AND SOVIET UNION
WERE NOT INCLUDED UNTIL
LATER-US NEVER JOINED
• UNANIMOUS VOTE REQUIRED IN
COUNCIL
INTERNATIONAL
RELATIONS (1918-1929)
• FRANCE INVADED THE RUHR TO GET
COAL FOR MISSED REPARATIONS
• CAUSED RESENTMENT IN GERMANY
AND UNEASE IN BRITAIN AND US
• EXPOSED CONFLICT BETWEEN THE
LEADERS OF THE WEIMAR
GOVERNMENT (hyperinflation)
DAWES PLAN 1924
• REPARATIONS REDUCED
• INVOLVED FRANCE’S ALLIES IN
COLLECTION
• “GOLDEN AGE OF REPARATIONS
(1924-1929)
GERMAN COMPLAINTS
ABOUT THE DAWES PLAN
• PAYMENTS TOO HIGH
• NO FINAL DATE FOR THEIR END
GERMANY CONTINUED TO PURSUE
A REVISIONIST STRATEGY
YOUNG PLAN 1929
• REDUCED THE PAYMENTS
• LINKED BRITISH AND FRENCH
DEBTS TO US TO LEVEL OF
GERMAN PAYMENTS
• 1988 SET AS FINAL YEAR OF
PAYMENT
LOCARNO PACT 1925
• SIGNED BY GERMANY, ITALY,
BRITAIN, FRANCE AND BELGIUM
• GERMANY ACCEPTED ITS
WESTERN BORDERS
• OPPOSED BY SOME IN GERMANY
• RECOGNIZED FRANCE’S
COMMITMENT TO POLAND AND
CZECHOSLOVAKIA
• GERMANY ALLOWED TO JOIN
LEAGUE AS A PERMANENT
MEMBER
KELLOGG-BRIAND PACT
1928
• FRANCE’S POLICY CHANGED TO
BRINGING GERMANY INTO THE
INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY
• WAR RENOUNCED AS AN
INSTRUMENT OF NATIONAL
POLICY (SIGNED BY 62 NATIONS)
HAGUE CONFERENCE
1929
• FRANCE LEFT THE RHINELAND
• RECONCILIATION
• LOCARNO AND GERMAN ENTRY
INTO LEAGUE SEEMED TO CREATE
STABILITY
• DAWES PLAN ALLOWED FOR
REGULAR PAYMENT OF
REPARATIONS
STABILITY
SHATTERED IN 1929
• POINCARE RETIRED
• STRESEMANN DIED
• BLACK THURSDAY- US STOCK
MARKET CRASHES
• THE DEPRESSION BEGINS
POLITICAL IMPACT OF
GREAT DEPRESSION
•
•
•
•
•
EVERY NATION FOR HIMSELF
HIGHER TARIFFS
FALLING PRICES (deflation)
RISE OF NATIONALISM
APPEASEMENT-ANOTHER WAR
WAS UNTHINKABLE
• CAPITALISM WAS DISCREDITED
HOOVER MORATORIUM
1931
• REPARATIONS AND WAR DEBTS
SUSPENDED
• INTENDED AS A TEMPORARY
MEASURE BUT BECAME FINAL
• DISARMAMENT CONFERENCE
FAILED
FAILURE TO STOP
HITLER
• FOUR POWER PACT-BRITAIN,
FRANCE, ITALY AND GERMANY
AGREED TO MAINTAIN PEACE FOR
10 YEARS (1933)
• HITLER FELT CONFIDENT TO
LEAVE LEAGUE AND BEGIN
CONSCRIPTION
• EASTERN EUROPE FELT
ABANDONED
REACTION TO THE
FOUR POWER PACT
• POLAND SIGNED NONAGGRESSION PACT WITH
GERMANY (1934)
• SU NEGOTIATED WITH FRANCE
FOR MUTUAL ASSISTANCE PACT
STESA FRONT 1935
• SIGNED BY BRITAIN, FRANCE AND
ITALY
• OPPOSED UNILATERAL
REPUDIATION OF TREATIES
• ITALY SAW THIS AS A CHANCE
TO PURSUE IMPERIAL AIMS
ITALY INVADED
ABYSSINIA 1935
• REVENGE FOR EARLIER DEFEAT
• BUILD AN EMPIRE LIKE BRITAIN
AND FRANCE
• WAR FOR WAR’S SAKE
• GLORY OF VICTORY
• BADLY NEEDED MARKETS AND
RAW MATERIALS
ECONOMIC
SANCTIONS BY
LEAGUE
• SANCTIONS INEFFECTIVE
• DID NOT INCLUDE OIL
• NON-MEMBERS (US, JAPAN AND
GERMANY) WERE NOT
COMMITTED
• JAPAN WAS NOT PUNISHED FOR
AGGRESSION IN CHINA (1931)
MUSSOLINI WANTED TO
BE ON THE SIDE OF
POWER
• BRITAIN AND FRANCE LACKED
WILL TO CONFRONT HITLER
• ITALY NEEDED A SECURE EUROPE
FOR CONTINUED EXPANSION
• PARTICIPATION IN SPANISH
CIVIL SHOWED WEAKNESS OF
ITALIAN ARMIES THOUGH
FRANCO WON
• HITLER IMPRESSED HIM
GERMAN-ITALIAN
ALLIANCE 1936
• BEGAN AS AN ANTI-BOLSHEVIK
RELATIONSHIP
• BECAME BERLIN-ROME AXIS
• ITALY JOINED ANTICOMMINTERN PACT WITH
GERMANY AND JAPAN
GERMAN ANSCHLUSS
1939
• ITALY’S MEEK ACCEPTANCE
• HITLER PRESSURED FOR THE PACT
OF STEEL
• MUSSOLINI LOST CONTROL OVER
HIS FOREIGN POLICY
• GAVE HITLER CARTE-BLANCHE TO
ATTACK POLAND AND PLUNGE
INTO WWII
HITLER CHANGED
VERSAILLES TREATY
• REMILITARIZED THE RHINELAND
• HITLER ACTED AND THEN
NEGOTIATED
• FELT JUSTIFIED AS FRANCE HAD
SIGNED MUTUAL ASSISTANCE
PACTS WITH SOVIET UNION,
CZECHCHOSLOVAKIA AND
POLAND
• BRITAIN WOULD NOT SEND AID
RESULTS OF
REMILITARIZATION
• WESTERN POWERS UNWILLING
TO ACT ON UNILATERAL
REVISIONS OF VERSTILLES
TREATY
• POLAND AND CZECHOSLOVAKIAFRANCE UNABLE TO HELP THEM
• END OF LOCARNO TREATY
ANSCHLUSS
• PROS
– LANGUAGE
– PAST
RELATIONSHIP
– GAIN
ECONOMICALLY
– ITALY COULD
NOT STOP
– AUSTRIAN NAZIS
FORCED ISSUE
• CONS
– MANY
AUSTRIANS
WANTED TO
REMAIN
INDEPENDENT
– HOSTILITY OF
FRANCE AND
BRITAIN
CZECHOSLOVAKIA AND
THE SUDETENLAND
• PROS
– MOUNTAINOUS,
DEFENSIBLE BORDER
– BIG ARMY-WELL
SUPPLIED
– ALLIED WITH
BRITAIN, FRANCE,
POLAND AND SU
• CONS
– MANY MINORITY
GROUPS
– IMPORTANT GERMAN
MINORITY LOST
PRIVILEGED STATUS
– NO COMMON BORDER
WITH FRANCE AND
SU
– HAD INDEPENDENCE
MOVEMENT
MUNICH AND
APPEASEMENT
• BRITAIN AND FRANCE TRIED TO
PERSUADE BENES TO ACCEPT
• FEARED GENERAL WAR
• BRITAIN AND FRANCE RENEWED
GUARANTEES TO POLAND
• HITLER DIVIDED AND CONQUERED
REST OF CZECHOSLOVAKIA
MUNICH AND SOVIET
UNION
• CONFIRMED STALIN’S FEAR THAT
BRITAIN AND FRANCE PREFERRED
HITLER OVER COMMUNISM
• SHOWED BRITAIN AND FRANCE
TOO WEAK TO STOP HITLER
• SHOWED ALLIES CONFIRMED
HITLER’S AIM OF LIVING SPACE
TO THE EAST
GERMAN-SOVIET PACT
OF 1939
• BRITAIN AND FRANCE REFUSED
TO ALLOW SOVIETS TO CROSS
INTO POLAND IF GERMANY
ATTACKED
• HITLER FEARED WAR WITH SU IF
BRITAIN AND FRANCE HELPED
POLAND
• DIVIDED UP POLAND
DANZIG AND THE
POLISH CORRIDOR
• DANZIG WAS A GERMAN CITY
• THE CORRIDOR HAD 1 MILLION
GERMANS AND SEPARATED PRUSSIA
FROM THE REST OF GERMANY
• RAPALLO AND LOCARNO THREATENED
POLAND
• SOUGHT ALLIANCES WITH FRANCE
POLAND
• FEARED THE SU MORE THAN
GERMANY
• SIGNED NON-AGRESSION PACT
WITH HITLER IN 1934
• BECK PARTICIPATED IN THE
PARTITION OF CZECHOSLOVAKIA
INVASION OF POLAND
• BRITAIN AND FRANCE TRIED TO
PERSUADE POLAND TO CEDE
DANZIG
• POLAND REFUSED REMEMBERING
CZECHOSLOVAKIA
• HITLER INVADED POLAND
CLAIMING “BORDER VIOLATIONS”
• TWO DAYS LATER, BRITAIN AND
FRANCE DECLARED WAR