International relations 1919-1933
What happens to Germany and the
Versailles-treaty?
International situation 1919
• Same great powers as 1914 except _____
• USA is strongest economically but decides to
leave Europe to it self (isolationism)
• Britain and France weak economically but still
world powers
• Russia weak and isolated but has potential. New
government: Soviet socialist republic
• Germany weak and isolated but revanchist and has
potential. New government: Weimar republic
• The eastern buffer zone: a power vacuum.
Prospects for the future
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In 1919 we have a flawed peace settlement,
No agreed means of its enforcements
A weak international system
And then in 1930 we get the economic
crisis
Key dates 1919-1933
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1919 Paris Peace settlement
1921 Reparations fixed at 132 billion gold marks
1922 Treaty of Rapallo between Germany and USSR
1923 French occupation of the Ruhr
1924 Dawes Plan
1925 Locarno Treaty
1926 Germany enters the League of Nations
1929 Young plan, Wall Street Crash
1932 Reparations virtually abolished:
1933 Hitler comes to power.
USA European policy
• USA did not become a member of the League of
nations.
• The Versailles treaty was not ratified and US
withdrew its promise to help France in case of
German attack.
• In spite of isolationism USA participated in the
Dawes plan (1924) and the Young plan (1929) so
they could get some of their war loans back.
• Did the US jump from its responsibilities?
British policy towards Germany
• Attempt to reconcile France and Germany in
Genoa 1922 fail.
• Britain disapproves of the Ruhr occupation 1923
• Britains policy victorious in the Locarno-Treaty,
Belgium, France, Germany agree to respect their
joint frontiers.
French policy towards Germany
• Tough stand to 1923 - Occupation of Ruhr
• France did not get backing from Britain so
they revert to policy of friendship:
– Dawes, Locarno, Young.
• Tough again after 1931
– reject the German-Austrian customs union
USSR foreign policy
• Isolation 1919-22
– Western countries participated in Civil war
– Russia not invited to Versailles
– Bolsheviks instigated world revolution
• Rapollo treaty with Germany
– Diplomatic relations and Germans allowed to
build and test weapons in Russia.
• Cool relations with France and Britain.
What is the German Policy to 33
• Germans had a hard time accepting a treaty
that treated Germans as a defeated nation
• Stresemann's primary goals were
1) the protection of Germans abroad;
2) the readjustment of the eastern frontiers
and
3) a union with German Austria.
International relations 1933-39
• Economic depression hits Europe hard 1930
– Huge reduction in trade – customs barrier
– Bancrupties and unemployment with
accompanying social disruption
– Nationalistic and fascist movements gather
strength
• Japanese expansion in Asia
German foreign policy after 33
• Hitler comes to power in 1933
• His popularity is not least due to his aggresive ideas about
foreign policy. He wants to make Germany strong again by:
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destroying the Versailles-treaty
build upp the army
unite Germans
accquiring lebensraum in the east
Dominance of the aryan race (space and race)
• Historians do not agree if these are new in German policy and
if he planned a major war to obtain these aims.
• Brest-Litovsk was based on these principles
Breakdown of Versailles
• Leaves disarmament conference and league of
nations oct 1933
• Anti-agression pact with Poland 1934
• Dollfuss assassinated by Austrian Nazis 1934
• Saar votes to return to Germany 1935
• Reintroduction of conscription march 1935
– Plans for rearmament extend back to Weimar (1932)
Weakness of France and UK
• France
– Depression, eight governments 33-35, the army was
defensive, no offensive or bombing capacity, pacifism.
• Britain
– Small army busy overseas in empire, support for
disarmament and league of nations. Taxes unpopular
during depression.
– Versailles unpopular
– Britain wants to negotiate with Hitler
Anglo-German naval pact
• Dollfuss assassination got Italy, France and
Britain to condemn Germany April 1935 at Stresa
• France and Russia sign a treaty of mutual
assistance may 1935
• Hitler made an naval pact with angry Britts,
allowed 35% of British naval power – triple
existing levels – France not consulted
– So much for the united Stresa front
– AGNP and the Abyssinian crisis alienated Mussolini
Mussolini and the Germans
• In 1934 M stopped a Nazi putch in Austria.
• Turning points in M attitude towards Germany:
– Anglo-German naval agreement
– M was displeased with the economic sanctions applied by
the League of Nations after the invasion of Abbysina even
if they were useless
– Hitler did not criticize the invasion.
– Both M and Hitler supported Franco in the Spanish civil
war.
– 1936 Berlin-Rome axis. 1937 Anti-comintern pact with
Germany and Japan. 1939 Pact of Steel.
Hitler takes action 1936-38
• Mussolinis turn encourages Hitler
• Remilitarisation of Rhineland march 1936
– The western powers take no action
• Olympic games in Berlin 1936
• Hossbach memorandum
• Anschluss with Austria march 1938
– Schuschnigg chancellor of Austria had announced a
plebiscite after Nazis staged demonstration in all major
cities.
– Hitler decided to invade Austria
Appeasement
• Britain and later France try to avoid war with Italy and
Germany by giving way to their demands.
• Time: Locarno to German occupation of
Czechoslovakia in March 39.
• Munich sept 1938 is the high point.
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Avoid war at all cost (pacifism among the public)
Rearmament is to expensive in depression
The demands of Germany are reasonable
Hitler is better than Stalin
Use the peace for British rearmament
Munich: highlight of appeasement:
• Demonstrations in Sudetenland –Hitler wants to
invade Czechoslovakia
• Sudetenland handed over to Germany at a four
power conference in sept 1938
– Hitler, Mussolini, Chamberlain, Daladier
– Czechs and Russians excluded
• The effect of appeasement and Munich
– Hitler convinced of British and French weakness
– Stalin suspects that the Western powers are giving Germany free
play in Eastern Europe
1939
• March - Germany occupies what is left of
Czechoslovakia
• Public opinion in the west turns
• Britain promises to defend Pollands independence
but are to slow to approach the USSR
• Hitler wants Danzig and the Polish corridor
• August 24 German-Russian non-agression pact
• Sept. 1. German invasion of Poland
• Sept. 3. Britain declares war against Germany.