INTERNATIONAL INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS RELATIONS (1919-1939)(1919-1939)
INTERNATIONAL INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS RELATIONS (1919-1939)(1919-1939)
OVERVIEWOVERVIEW
CHANGED WORLD AFTER WWI
• COLLAPSE OF AUSTRIAN-HUNGARIAN EMPIRENEW COUNTRIES BASED ON
NATIONALITY RATHER THAN MILITARY STRENGTH OR DEFENSIBLE BORDERS
NEW COUNTRIES• AUSTRIA• HUNGARY• CZECHOSLOVAKIA• YUGOSLAVIA• POLAND
Feuding and autarkic
RUSSIAN EMPIREFELL APART
• CREATION OF NEW STATES– ESTONIA– LATVIA– LITHUANIA– POLAND– BESSARABIA– FINLAND
RUSSIA FOLLOWED A NEW SOCIAL, ECONOMIC, AND POLITICAL SYSTEM
• COMMUNISM– STATE OWNERSHIP AND CONTROL OF
ECONOMIC RESOURCES– PROMOTION OF WORLD-WIDE
PROLETARIAT REVOLUTION
UNITED STATES• US INTERVENTION DECISIVE TO
OUTCOME OF WWI
• WITHDRAWS IMMEDIATELY INTO ISOLATIONISM
BRITAIN AND FRANCE• LACKED THE MEANS AND DESIRE
TO DIRECT INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS
• EUROPE WAS ESSENTIALLY A POWER VACUUM
VICTORIOUS ALLIESAPPROACH PROBLEM OF
EUROPEAN POLITICAL RECONSTRUCTION BASED
ON TWO FALSE ASSMPTIONS
• ALLIES HAD WON THE WAR• GROUND WAS CLEAR FOR JUST
AND ENLIGTENED RE-ORDERING OF POLITICS
GERMANY HAD ONLY BEEN PARTLY DEFEATED
MILITARILY• GERMANY HAD CLEARLY
DEFEATED RUSSIA ON THE EASTERN FRONT
• TREATY OF BREST-LITOVSK
GERMANY HAD NOT BEEN DEFEATED IN TWO AREAS
• EONOMIC POTENTIAL• POLITICAL IDEAS THAT HAD
DRIVEN ITS WWI EXPANSION
BITTER RESENTMENT FELT BY GERMANY AT
PEACE TREATY• REPARATIONS• WAR GUILT CLAUSE• LOSS OF TERRITORY TO POLAND,
FRANCE, BELGIUM AND DENMARK• LOSS OF COLONIES
PROBLEM OF ENFORCEMENT OF
HATEDTREATY
• TWO STRATEGIES PARTLY UNSUCCESSFUL– USE OF FORCE (Ruhr Invasion)– PERSUADING GERMANS TO ACCEPT
TERMS
THIRD STRATEGY• USE RESOURCES OF AMERICAN
CAPITALISM TO FUND GERMANY AND THEREFORE EUROPEAN STABILITY
• SUCCESSFUL BETWEEN 1924-1929(Golden Age of Weimar Republic)
RECENT HISTORIANS SEE NAZISM AS A PRODUCT OF THE COMPLEX WORLD CREATED BY THE
ECONOMIC COLLAPSE OF 1929
BRITAIN AND FRANCE FOCUSED ON
DOMESTIC PROBLEMS
• SYMPATHETIC TO DISARMAMENT• INDEPENDENCE MOVEMENTS IN
THEIR COLONIES• JAPANESE EXPLOITATION OF
THESE INDEPENDENCE MOVEMENTS
DESTABILIZATION OF CAPITALISM
• DEBT CANCELLATION BY RUSSIA• FEARED SPREAD OF COMMUNISM• SUSPICIOUS OF SOVIET UNION
AND THEIR PROMOTION OF WORLD REVOLUTION
NAZISM NOT SEEN IMMEDIATELY AS THE
MAJOR THREAT
• FORMATION OF ALLIANCES TO DETER GERMANY
• NONE OF WESTERN POWERS WANTED A WAR
WESTSERN POWERS WERE LOOKING TOWARD
THEIR OWN NATIONAL SECURITY
• FRANCE RETREATED BEHIND MAGINOT LINE
• APPEASEMENT • ALLIANCE WITH A COMMUNIST SOVIET
UNION TOO PAINFUL TO CONTEMPLATE (memories of Rapallo)
APPEASEMENT• INTENDED TO MAKE GERMANY A
RESPONSIBLE MEMBER OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITY
• FAILED-GERMANY WAS ENCOURAGED TO PURSUE ITS POLICIES
THIRD STRATEGY-ALLIGN WITH HITLER
• POLAND SIGNED A NON-AGRESSION PACT(1934)
• ITALY SIGNED THE PACT OF STEEL (1938)
• SOVIET UNION SIGNED A NON-AGRESSION PACT (1939)
• THE VICHY GOVERNMENT OF FRANCE (1940)
(form of appeasement)
FAILURE OF VERSAILLES TREATY
• GERMANY REMAINED A GREAT FORCE EVEN AFTER DEFEAT
• GERMANY STILL HAD POWERFUL FRIENDS IN THE WORLD
• GERMANY KEPT 90% OF ITS RESOURCES
• GERMANY WAS DISARMED BUT WAS THE TECHNOLOGY LEADER OF EUROPE
GERMANY’S POSITION IN BALANCE OF POWER
REMAINED UNCHANGED• NEW NATIONS WERE WEAK• RUSSIA OUTLAWED AFTER 1917
REVOLUTION• WOULD GERMANY BE NEEDED TO
STOP SPREAD OF COMMUNISM?
WILSON’S FAILURE TO KEEP US INVOLVED IN
EUROPE
• SENATE REJECTS THE VERSAILLES TREATY
• US REJECTS INTERNATIONALISM
FAILURE OF THE LEAGUE
• NO ARMY (IDEA WAS OPPOSED BY BRITISH)
• RELIED ON ECONOMIC SANCTIONS• GERMANY AND SOVIET UNION
WERE NOT INCLUDED UNTIL LATER-US NEVER JOINED
• UNANIMOUS VOTE REQUIRED IN COUNCIL
INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS (1918-
1929)• FRANCE INVADED THE RUHR TO GET
COAL FOR MISSED REPARATIONS• CAUSED RESENTMENT IN GERMANY
AND UNEASE IN BRITAIN AND US• EXPOSED CONFLICT BETWEEN THE
LEADERS OF THE WEIMAR GOVERNMENT (hyperinflation)
DAWES PLAN 1924• REPARATIONS REDUCED• INVOLVED FRANCE’S ALLIES IN
COLLECTION• “GOLDEN AGE OF REPARATIONS
(1924-1929)
GERMAN COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE DAWES PLAN
• PAYMENTS TOO HIGH• NO FINAL DATE FOR THEIR ENDGERMANY CONTINUED TO PURSUE A
REVISIONIST STRATEGY
YOUNG PLAN 1929• REDUCED THE PAYMENTS• LINKED BRITISH AND FRENCH
DEBTS TO US TO LEVEL OF GERMAN PAYMENTS
• 1988 SET AS FINAL YEAR OF PAYMENT
LOCARNO PACT 1925• SIGNED BY GERMANY, ITALY,
BRITAIN, FRANCE AND BELGIUM• GERMANY ACCEPTED ITS
WESTERN BORDERS• OPPOSED BY SOME IN GERMANY• RECOGNIZED FRANCE’S
COMMITMENT TO POLAND AND CZECHOSLOVAKIA
• GERMANY ALLOWED TO JOIN LEAGUE AS A PERMANENT MEMBER
KELLOGG-BRIAND PACT 1928
• FRANCE’S POLICY CHANGED TO BRINGING GERMANY INTO THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY
• WAR RENOUNCED AS AN INSTRUMENT OF NATIONAL POLICY (SIGNED BY 62 NATIONS)
HAGUE CONFERENCE 1929
• FRANCE LEFT THE RHINELAND• RECONCILIATION• LOCARNO AND GERMAN ENTRY
INTO LEAGUE SEEMED TO CREATE STABILITY
• DAWES PLAN ALLOWED FOR REGULAR PAYMENT OF REPARATIONS
STABILITY SHATTERED IN 1929
• POINCARE RETIRED• STRESEMANN DIED• BLACK THURSDAY- US STOCK
MARKET CRASHES• THE DEPRESSION BEGINS
POLITICAL IMPACT OF GREAT DEPRESSION
• EVERY NATION FOR HIMSELF• HIGHER TARIFFS• FALLING PRICES (deflation)• RISE OF NATIONALISM• APPEASEMENT-ANOTHER WAR
WAS UNTHINKABLE• CAPITALISM WAS DISCREDITED
HOOVER MORATORIUM 1931
• REPARATIONS AND WAR DEBTS SUSPENDED
• INTENDED AS A TEMPORARY MEASURE BUT BECAME FINAL
• DISARMAMENT CONFERENCE FAILED
FAILURE TO STOP HITLER
• FOUR POWER PACT-BRITAIN, FRANCE, ITALY AND GERMANY AGREED TO MAINTAIN PEACE FOR 10 YEARS (1933)
• HITLER FELT CONFIDENT TO LEAVE LEAGUE AND BEGIN CONSCRIPTION
• EASTERN EUROPE FELT ABANDONED
REACTION TO THE FOUR POWER PACT
• POLAND SIGNED NON-AGGRESSION PACT WITH GERMANY (1934)
• SU NEGOTIATED WITH FRANCE FOR MUTUAL ASSISTANCE PACT
STESA FRONT 1935• SIGNED BY BRITAIN, FRANCE AND
ITALY• OPPOSED UNILATERAL
REPUDIATION OF TREATIES• ITALY SAW THIS AS A CHANCE TO
PURSUE IMPERIAL AIMS
ITALY INVADED ABYSSINIA 1935
• REVENGE FOR EARLIER DEFEAT• BUILD AN EMPIRE LIKE BRITAIN
AND FRANCE• WAR FOR WAR’S SAKE• GLORY OF VICTORY• BADLY NEEDED MARKETS AND
RAW MATERIALS
ECONOMIC SANCTIONS BY LEAGUE
• SANCTIONS INEFFECTIVE• DID NOT INCLUDE OIL• NON-MEMBERS (US, JAPAN AND
GERMANY) WERE NOT COMMITTED• JAPAN WAS NOT PUNISHED FOR
AGGRESSION IN CHINA (1931)
MUSSOLINI WANTED TO BE ON THE SIDE OF
POWER• BRITAIN AND FRANCE LACKED
WILL TO CONFRONT HITLER• ITALY NEEDED A SECURE EUROPE
FOR CONTINUED EXPANSION• PARTICIPATION IN SPANISH CIVIL
SHOWED WEAKNESS OF ITALIAN ARMIES THOUGH FRANCO WON
• HITLER IMPRESSED HIM
GERMAN-ITALIAN ALLIANCE 1936
• BEGAN AS AN ANTI-BOLSHEVIK RELATIONSHIP
• BECAME BERLIN-ROME AXIS• ITALY JOINED ANTI-COMMINTERN
PACT WITH GERMANY AND JAPAN
GERMAN ANSCHLUSS 1939
• ITALY’S MEEK ACCEPTANCE• HITLER PRESSURED FOR THE PACT
OF STEEL• MUSSOLINI LOST CONTROL OVER
HIS FOREIGN POLICY• GAVE HITLER CARTE-BLANCHE TO
ATTACK POLAND AND PLUNGE INTO WWII
HITLER CHANGED VERSAILLES TREATY
• REMILITARIZED THE RHINELAND• HITLER ACTED AND THEN
NEGOTIATED• FELT JUSTIFIED AS FRANCE HAD
SIGNED MUTUAL ASSISTANCE PACTS WITH SOVIET UNION, CZECHCHOSLOVAKIA AND POLAND
• BRITAIN WOULD NOT SEND AID
RESULTS OF REMILITARIZATION
• WESTERN POWERS UNWILLING TO ACT ON UNILATERAL REVISIONS OF VERSTILLES TREATY
• POLAND AND CZECHOSLOVAKIA-FRANCE UNABLE TO HELP THEM
• END OF LOCARNO TREATY
ANSCHLUSS• PROS
– LANGUAGE– PAST
RELATIONSHIP– GAIN
ECONOMICALLY– ITALY COULD NOT
STOP– AUSTRIAN NAZIS
FORCED ISSUE
• CONS– MANY AUSTRIANS
WANTED TO REMAIN INDEPENDENT
– HOSTILITY OF FRANCE AND BRITAIN
CZECHOSLOVAKIA AND THE SUDETENLAND
• PROS– MOUNTAINOUS,
DEFENSIBLE BORDER– BIG ARMY-WELL
SUPPLIED– ALLIED WITH BRITAIN,
FRANCE, POLAND AND SU
• CONS– MANY MINORITY
GROUPS– IMPORTANT GERMAN
MINORITY LOST PRIVILEGED STATUS
– NO COMMON BORDER WITH FRANCE AND SU
– HAD INDEPENDENCE MOVEMENT
MUNICH AND APPEASEMENT
• BRITAIN AND FRANCE TRIED TO PERSUADE BENES TO ACCEPT
• FEARED GENERAL WAR• BRITAIN AND FRANCE RENEWED
GUARANTEES TO POLAND• HITLER DIVIDED AND CONQUERED
REST OF CZECHOSLOVAKIA
MUNICH AND SOVIET UNION
• CONFIRMED STALIN’S FEAR THAT BRITAIN AND FRANCE PREFERRED HITLER OVER COMMUNISM
• SHOWED BRITAIN AND FRANCE TOO WEAK TO STOP HITLER
• SHOWED ALLIES CONFIRMED HITLER’S AIM OF LIVING SPACE TO THE EAST
GERMAN-SOVIET PACT OF 1939
• BRITAIN AND FRANCE REFUSED TO ALLOW SOVIETS TO CROSS INTO POLAND IF GERMANY ATTACKED
• HITLER FEARED WAR WITH SU IF BRITAIN AND FRANCE HELPED POLAND
• DIVIDED UP POLAND
DANZIG AND THE POLISH CORRIDOR
• DANZIG WAS A GERMAN CITY• THE CORRIDOR HAD 1 MILLION
GERMANS AND SEPARATED PRUSSIA FROM THE REST OF GERMANY
• RAPALLO AND LOCARNO THREATENED POLAND
• SOUGHT ALLIANCES WITH FRANCE
POLAND• FEARED THE SU MORE THAN
GERMANY• SIGNED NON-AGRESSION PACT
WITH HITLER IN 1934• BECK PARTICIPATED IN THE
PARTITION OF CZECHOSLOVAKIA
INVASION OF POLAND• BRITAIN AND FRANCE TRIED TO
PERSUADE POLAND TO CEDE DANZIG
• POLAND REFUSED REMEMBERING CZECHOSLOVAKIA
• HITLER INVADED POLAND CLAIMING “BORDER VIOLATIONS”
• TWO DAYS LATER, BRITAIN AND FRANCE DECLARED WAR