Assess the impact of the Great Depression on International Relations in Europe in the
1930s. (June 2010)
There is no doubt that the impact of the Great Depression had a profound effect on international
relations. The economic effects of this cataclysmic event had wide spread ramifications both
domestically and in foreign affairs for Europe, and none more so than Germany. The Depression was
responsible for determining and shaping foreign policy and created conditions that made a choice of
options impossible e.g. British policy of Appeasement. It also provided the opportunity for the growth
of extremism e.g. Fascism in Italy, Spain and Germany and diminished the reputation and capabilities
of the western democracies. International relations in Europe in the 1930’s were so significantly
affected that the decade concluded with the outbreak of the greatest military conflict in history, the
Second World War.
Without the Great Depression, Adolf Hitler and the Nazis would not have had any chance of securing
power in Germany and ultimately pursuing an aggressive foreign policy that brought Germany into
conflict with most other European powers. Explain why impact of depression was so important in
helping Nazis into power
Without the Great Depression, Britain and France would not have been so wrapped up in their own
domestic problems and may have been more able and willing to support the League of Nations in
policing the world. Britain wanted to avoid international entanglements as it struggled to deal with the
effects of the depression domestically and across the Empire. The most significant effect of the
depression was on GB and Frances international relations with aggressors like Hitler and Mussolini.
There is a direct link between the impact of the depression and the policy of Appeasement and desire
to avoid war at all costs. Give examples of this i.e. GB policy of appeasement - Hitler’s ending
reparations, rearmament and conscription, marching into Rhineland.
This desire to avoid confrontation by Britain and France led to the paralysis of the League of Nations
as a peacekeeping body. Explain how e.g. Japan and Manchuria, Stresa Front with Mussolini and
France, Hoare Laval pact,
The depression drove a British instinct to appease and compromise, as seen in the 1920’s, to
becoming a vital and, indeed, only option for Britain in the 1930’s. This in turn weakened the
international communities’ willingness to stop aggressors and emboldened the aggressor to greater
demands. War had to be avoided at almost any cost.
The impact of the depression had a profound effect on Britain’s ability to maintain empire. Explain
why. It also forced disarmament and slowed the process of rearmament until after 1936. Therefore had
to continue policy of appeasement in late 30’s - explain with ref to Anschluss, Munich, Czech and
Nazi Soviet Pact.
Even by outbreak of war in Sept 1939 when Poland was invaded, GB had scrambled to avoid war
because of the lack of preparedness but finally had no choice. The impact of the depression prevented
GB being ready and almost cost them the war in 1940/41
Conclusion – what would you say?