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Topic 8- Germany's international position 1924-1928 - Coggle Diagram
Topic 8- Germany's international position 1924-1928
A. Stresemann and the Policy of Fulfilment:
germany cooperating with france, GB and US on issues such as reparations and removing allied occupation over areas of Germany- it was believed this approach would lead to more revision of the treaty over a confrontational approach
stresemann set out his long term aims of foreign policy in a letter to the Kaisers son in 1925
to solve reparations issue- make them cheaper and more affordable
to stand up for germans separated by the ToV- e.g. in polish corridor, Alsace-lorraine, Sudetenland about 13% of German population in 1914
To readjust Germany's eastern border, to get polish corridor back, including key port of Danzig, probably through referenda
B. The Locarno-Pact 1925:
Western European powers met in Locarno by Germany's suggestion in October 1925
streseman was anxious to restores Germany's international position and avoid any more hostilities with france and GB- france was already suspicious of germanys industrial recovery
the discussions led to the Rhineland Pact and Arbitration Treaties, known collectively as the Locarno Pact and was signed in December 1925
under the Rhineland Pact:
germany, france and Belgium promised to respect western frontier as drawn up at versailles 1919
germany agreed to keep troops out of rhineland, as in ToV
Britain and Italy promised to aid germany, france or Belgium if any of these countries were attack by neighbours
Under Arbitration treaty:
germany agreed with france, Belgium, Poland and Czechoslovakia that any dispute between them should be settled by a conciliation committee to mediate discussions
france signed treaties of 'mutual guarantee' with Poland and Czechoslovakia- this made sure germany did not break the agreement above
any conflict regarding the western borders would be referred to the League of Nations- france would not be permitted to cross into germany should there be any dispute between germany and Poland or Czechoslovakia
stresemann's great success was German admission to the League of Nations the following year in 1926, with a permanent seat in the council which showed the success of fulfilment
C. Relations with the USSR:
both countries had revolutions following WW1- Russia became a communist dictatorship, and Germany became a democratic republic
both countries had been treated as outcasts and felt harshly treated
Both countries resented the creation of Poland on their borders
Walter Rathenau had negotiated the Treaty of Rapallo 1922- it meant that German and Russia resumed trade and economic cooperation, diplomatic relations were restored, all outstanding claims for compensation for war damages were dropped, and Germany was allowed to develop new weapons and train pilots in Russia away from allied scrutiny
Rathenau was assassinated by rightists shortly after, and the treaty angered france as it showed germanys intent on getting around the disarmament terms of the Tov
treaty of Berlin, 1926
was a renewal of the treaty of Rapallo 1922, and added very little to the existing treaty except for the agreement that germany would remain neutral if the USSR were to be involved in war, as long as the USSR was not the aggressor.
this was signed a year after Locarno, which shows that despite stresemann excepted the western borders, he had not abandoned his attempts at a revision of the borders to the east.
in order to achieve this, a close relationship with ussr was vital because USSR would resist any border changes it didn't agree with (this is the reason AH signed Nazi-soviet pact 1939)
D. Extent of disarmament:
German army was dismantled by the ToV and an Inter-Allied Control Commission (IMCC) was established in Germany to monitor germanys disarmament- disarment clauses was a cause of resentment in germany especially since the allies were free to maintain formidable forces
treaty of rapallo showed there were ways of getting around this however, and similar agreement with other countries allowed germany to build submarines in Spain and tanks/artillery in Sweden
germany also built up a large Territorial army (TA)- which were temporary trained troops (reservists and paramilitary groups- freikorp banned after app putsch but maintained links with the army)
the secret and illegal army was known as the Black Reichswher- Stresemann was certainly aware
General von Seeckt- head of army plotted with ussr against poland
showed Germany's commitment to disarmament was skin deep- even after signing Kellogg-briand pact 1928 with allies
Kellog-Briand Pact, 1928
signed with france and the USA and it was an international agreement under which states would agree voluntarily to renounce the use of offensive wars to resolve disputes- the pact had symbolic importance but lacked any enforcement mechanism which limited its effectiveness
E. The End of Allied Occupation
the allies withdrew from zone 1 of the Rhineland in 1926 after the Locarno Treaties and the allies withdrew the IMCC the same year
after the young plan in 1929 it paved the way for further withdrawal from the rhineland
allies withdrew from zone 2 in 1929, and zone 3 in 1930 five years ahead of the schedule laid down in ToV
although stresemann died before this process was completed, the success was due to his policy