Download Lecture notes 7

Jakub Basista, PhD, D.Litt
Institute of History,
Jagiellonian University
[email protected]
Poland in Europe in the 20th Century
Meeting 7 - Poland in the European International Politics in the years 1918-
1939.
The Genoa Conference was held in Genoa, Italy in 1922 from April 10 to May 19. At this
conference, the representatives of 34 countries convened to speak about monetary economics
in the wake of World War I. The purpose was to formulate strategies to rebuild central and
eastern Europe after the war, and also to negotiate a relationship between European capitalist
economies, and the new Russian Communist economy
Representatives of 34 nations convened on April 10, 1922 to attempt the reconstruction of
European economy, in particular finance and commerce after the war.
It was the first conference after World War I in which Germany and the Soviet Russia were
accepted on a par with other nations. Soviet Russia, despite its repudiation of the tsarist
national debt, had offered to discuss the question at an international assembly. This offer
marked the first Soviet attempt to enter the European diplomatic circle after the Russian
Revolution.
At Genoa the creditor nations (without the USA) demanded recognition of not only of the
tsarist debt, but also the expenses of the war and revolution: compensation for confiscated
property, and guarantees for future contracts.
The Russians, headed by Georgi Chicherin, offered to recognize the debt in return for
cancellation of the Russian war debt, compensation for damages inflicted by Allied forces in
their intervention after the revolution, and extensive credit for the Soviet government. The
two bills were virtually identical.
The divergent purposes of the former Allies and the distrust caused by the announcement of
the Treaty of Rapallo between Germany and Soviet Russia made agreement impossible, and
the conference adjourned on May 19.
LOCARNO 1925
Locarno divided borders in Europe into two categories: western, which were guaranteed by
the Locarno treaties, and eastern borders (of Germany), which were open for revision.
The Treaty of Mutual Guarantee (also Rhine and Western Treaty) between France,
Britain, Italy, Belgium and Germany; Germany guaranteed the inviolability of western
border „Rhineland Pact” (Treaty of Locarno was effectively repealed by Germany in
1936).
The Treaty of Arbitration between Germany and Belgium
The Treaty of Arbitration between Germany and France
The Treaty of Arbitration between Germany and Poland
The Treaty of Arbitration between Germany and Czechoslovakia
Treaty of Mutual Guarantee between France and Poland
Treaty of Mutual Guarantee between France and Czechoslovakia
1929/30 Armies in Europe (in thousands)
data provided to the League of Nations
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Austria 30
Belgium 63
Bulgaria 20
Czechoslovakia 127
Finland 28
France 544
Germany 100
Great Britain 203
Greece 67
Hungary 35
Italy 251
Poland 255
Portugal 50
Romania 152
Spain 113
Sweden 20
Yugoslavia 109
USSR 562
USA 134
Japan 198
The Little Entente
(formed against Hungary):
14 August 1920 –Czechoslovakia-Yugoslavia;
23 April 1921 – Czechoslovakia-Romania; 7 June 1921 – Romania-Yugoslavia:
Little Entente lasts till 1938, whilst formally it functions from 1933 as a multilateral
agreement.
Military cooperation:
2 July 1921 Czechoslovakia-Romania;
1 August 1921 Czechoslovakia-Yugoslavia;
23 January 1922 Yugoslavia-Romania.
„Pact of Four” March 1933
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March 1933 – Mussolini proposes the „Pact of Four”
The Four-Power Pact also known as a Quadripartite Agreement (treaty between
four states or four commercial parties) was an international treaty initialed on
June 7, 1933, and signed on July 15, 1933, in the Palazzo Venezia in Rome.
This pact never really went into life – among others Polish and Czechoslovak
protests stopped it from becoming effective. Nevertheless it did weaken the
League of Nations and eventually Hitler’s aim to make it (LN) ineffective was a
success.
The Eastern Pact
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French initiative of 1933/34 (Louis Barthou)
Attempt to build Central European and European security based on acceptance
of USSR to the LN and security in Europe based on cooperation between USSR
and France
July, August 1934 – Barthou and Litwinov agree on:
– Traite de’assistance regionale
– French-USSR treaty
– Acte generale
The pact was to include: France, USSR, Poland, Czechoslovakia, Estonia, Latvia,
Lithuania, Germany, Finland.
11 March Germany invades Austria
12 March Anschluss of Austria proclaimed
24 March Chamberlain declares that Czechoslovakia will not receive British guarantee
28 March Henlein visits Hitler in Berlin
24 April Henlein's Karlsbad speech
28-29 April Talks in London between British and French Governments
7 May Britain and France issue joint warning to Czechoslovakia
12-14 May Henlein makes private visit to London
20-22 May "May Crisis" war scare over Czechoslovakia
30 May Hitler issues new directive for "Operation Green" (the plan of attack on
Czechoslovakia)
8 June SdP (Sudeten German Party) presents demands to Czechoslovak Government
23 June Formal negotiations begin between Czechoslovak Government and SdP
18 July British Government appoints Lord Runciman as mediator in Czechoslovakia
26 July Runciman Mission announced
3 August Runciman arrives in Prague
30 August "Third Plan" proposed by Czechoslovak Government
6 September "Fourth Plan" proposed by Czechoslovak Government
7 September Leading article in The Times advocates cession of the Sudeten German
territory to Germany
8 September Talks between Czechoslovak Government and SdP break down
12 September Hitler's speech at Nuremberg Rally
13 September Unrest in Sudeten German territory
15 September Chamberlain meets Hitler at Berchtesgaden Henlein flees to Germany,
demands "Return to the Reich"
16 September Runciman returns to London
18 September Talks in London between British and French Governments
19 September Britain and France pressure Czechoslovakia to cede territory with 50%
or more Germans
21 September Czechoslovakia accepts cession of territory with German majority
22-23 September Chamberlain meets Hitler at Godesberg
25-26 September Talks in London between British and French Governments
27 September Chamberlain's radio broadcast
29-30 September Munich Conference http://avalon.law.yale.edu/imt/munich1.asp
1-10 October Czechoslovakia evacuates Sudeten German territory
Czechoslovakia’s losses in Munich
3/10 of its territory
1/3 of population
4/10 of national income
66% of coal
80% of ignite reserves
80% of textile production
70% of iron and steel production and electric power capacity