1. The Locarno Treaty

2. Overview of the Locarno Treaty
Locarno Conference: October 5 – October 16, 1925
Formally signed in London on December 1, 1925
Health resort in Switzerland
Between five countries
Germany, France, Belgium, Britain, Italy
Seven agreements
“Rhineland Pact” – the main pact
Treaty of Mutual Guarantee (aka 'The Locarno Pact')

3. Main Representatives Germany France Belgium Britain Italy
Gustav Stresemann
France
Aristide Briand
Belgium
Émile Vandervelde
Britain
Austen Chamberlain
Italy
Benito Mussolini
The most important figures in the treaty: Gustav Stresemann and Aristide Briand.
Stresemann sent out the proposal of the Locarno Treaty on 9 February to the other nations.
For several months neither Britain nor France responded to these proposals.
Aristide Briand, the new French foreign minister, first urged that they should meet with Germany in spring of 1925.

4. Purpose of the treaty
Allies and the new states wanted to secure the Treaty of Versailles post-war territorial settlement
Solidify Germany’s borders with Belgium and France
Promised to normalize relations with Germany
Ease worldwide post war tension
Ease tension by guaranteeing boundaries of Germany, Belgium, and France as specified in the Treaty of Versailles in 1919.

5. Terms of the Treaty
Belgium, France & Germany accepted promised to respect their joint frontiers
Ultimate cession of Alsace-Lorraine
Demilitarization of the left bank of the Rhine
Britain and Italy acted as the guarantors
Germany allowed to enter the League of Nations
In case of Germany's occupation of the demilitarized zone military action might be taken in response
Germany signed agreements with Poland and Czechoslovakia providing for negotiation over possible disputes
But Germany didn’t accept its eastern borders
No guarantor for eastern part of the Locarno Treaties
France signed treaties with Poland and Czechoslovakia
Belgium, France and Germany accepted western borders of Germany including the demilitarized zone in the Rhineland
‘Flagrant’ breaches of the treaty, by either France, or Belgium or Germany, would require Britain and Italy to intervene
Germany agreed to sign arbitration treaties with Poland and Czechoslovakia, committing itself to settle disputes with her eastern neighbors peacefully.

6. Short term ramifications
Tension between Allies & Germany finally resolving
High point of Franco-German relations before WWII
Resulted in peace and “make ups” all over Europe
France and Britain
France and Germany
1925: Locarno Spring
Locarno Treaties seen as the source of the improved western European diplomatic climate of
Introduced a hope for international peace, or the "spirit of Locarno".
Resulted in a sense of excitement and optimism
1926: Germany invited to join the League of Nations
1927: Control of Germany's disarmament stopped
France and Britain could reunite over the differences that drove them apart (how to deal with Germany)
Step towards Franco-German reconciliation
Reconciliation between France and Germany referred to as the ‘Locarno honeymoon’
This spirit was seen in Germany's admission to the League and in the subsequent withdrawal (completed in June 1930) of Allied troops from Germany's western Rhineland.
In both 1925 and 1926 the Nobel Peace Prize was given to the lead negotiators of the treaty, going to Sir Austen Chamberlain in 1925 and jointly to Aristide Briand and Gustav Stresemann in 1926,

7. Long term ramifications
People were confident that prosperity and peace were in the future after Locarno
1928: Kellogg-Briand pact signed
Inspired by the success of the Locarno Treaty
1930: Germany was an independent state again
Germany could start to grow economically again without being a threat to Western Europe
People were confident that prosperity and peace were in the future after Locarno because of the Economic success during the 1920’s, the failure of Communism to spread, and Germany’s acceptance of the Versailles Treaty.

8. Long term ramifications cont.
The Wolf
Germany’s eastern borders weren't been set; Britain refused to guarantee Germany’s eastern borders
Germany could change eastern borders with little objection from Allies
Germany was still tied with USSR in Treaty of Rapallo
Could still avoid disarmament that was imposed on it
This contemporary but prophetic cartoon appeared in the "News Chronicle" and graphically illustrates the threat to Czechoslovakia after Hitler marched his troops into Austria

9. Long term ramifications cont.
1930: Hitler rises to power after Stresemann's death
1936: Sent troops into the demilitarized Rhineland
1938: Invaded Sudetenland in Czechoslovakia
1939: Invaded Poland

10. Response of other countries

11. Overall
Even though the Locarno Treaty had been successful in bringing about peace, the League of Nations was not strengthened and the collective security remained uncertain

12. Sources
Kearny, Julie. "PRE_1939_4." RootsWeb: Freepages. Web. 09 Oct < Lowe, Norman. Mastering Modern World History. Houndmills, Basingstoke, Hampshire: Palgrave Macmillan, Print. "Locarno Pact - Wikisource." Wikisource, the Free Library. 08 Oct Web. 09 Oct < Simkin, John. "Treaty of Locarno." Spartacus Educational - Home Page. Web. 09 Oct <