YEARS OF CRISES HOW SUCCESSFUL WAS THE LoN IN THE 1920s – 1930s?

PEACEKEEPING 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 : Draft Treaty of Mutual Assistance. All members would come to the assistance of a victim of aggression : 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 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 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 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.