International relations 1919-1933

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International relations 1919-1933

• What happens to Germany and the Versailles-treaty?

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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.

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Prospects for the future

• 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

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Key dates 1919-1933

• 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.

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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?

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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.

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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

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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.

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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 were1) the protection
  of Germans abroad2) the readjustment of the
  eastern frontiers and3) a union with German
  Austria.

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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

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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
• 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

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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)

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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

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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

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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.

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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

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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.
• Why?
• 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

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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

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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.

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