Chapter 8 Flashcards
What was the one thing Germans of all classes and political allegiances could agree on?
That the Treaty of Versailles was unjust.
How was the Treaty of Versailles viewed by most Germans?
As unjust, a dictated peace treaty, that denied Germany its rightful place as a great European power.
What was the common aim of every government between 1919 and 1933?
The revision of the terms of the Treaty of Versailles.
What was Gustav Stresemann’s approach to revising the terms of the Treaty of Versailles?
The pragmatic policy of fulfilment.
What was the policy of fulfilment?
Stresemann’s plan to cooperate with France, Great Britain, the USA, and Italy on reparations.
When was Gustav Stresemann foreign minister?
1923-1929
When was the Daws Plan?
1924
When did French and Belgian forces leave the Ruhr?
1925
Why did French and Belgium forces leave the Ruhr?
Because the Dawes Plan led to economic recovery and German began paying reparations again, making occupation unjustified.
When was the Locarno Pact?
1 December 1925
Why is it called the Locarno Pact?
The conference was held in the Swiss city of Locarno.
What is the Locarno Pact made up of?
It is the collective name of two other agreements:
- The Rhineland Pact
- Arbitration Treaties
What were the terms of the Rhineland Pact?
- Germany, France, and Belgium promised to respect the western frontier as laid down in Versailles in 1919.
- Germany agreed to keep its troops out of the Rhineland, another Versailles demand.
- Britain and Italy promised to aid Germany, France, or Belgium, if any were attacked by each other.
What were the terms of the Arbitration Treaties?
- Any dispute between Germany and France, Belgium, Poland, or Czechoslovakia was to be settled by a conciliation committee.
- France agreed to make sure Germany did not break their agreement to resolve disputes via a committee.
Who was to settle any dispute over the western border following the Locarno Pact?
The league of Nations
Why was the Locarno Pact significant for the western border?
It was the first time Germany had recognised the western border imposed at Versailles.
What territory did Germany lose under the terms of Versailles that they accepted through the Locarno Pact?
- The loss of Alsace-Lorraine to France.
- Eupen-Malmedy to Belgium.
What was guaranteed not to happen again by signing the Locarno Pact?
For Germany it meant the occupation of the Ruhr could never be repeated.
When was the Franco-Belgian occupation of the Ruhr?
1923
What happened to the Rhineland after the Locarno Pact was agreed?
France withdrew its forces over the next five years.
When was the city of Cologne evacuated by the French?
1926
What was not recognised in the Locarno Pact?
The eastern border, leaving open the possibility of future revisions to it.
What did the Locarno Pact lead to for Germany in 1926?
They were accepted into the League of Nations.
When was Germany accepted into the League of Nations?
1926
When was Stresemann awarded the Nobel Peace Prize and what for?
1926; for his work in the Locarno Pact.
Who requested the conference that agreed to the Locarno Pact?
Germany
How was the Locarno Pact viewed by the German right?
They attacked it, seeing it as Stresemann appeasing the Allies and giving too much away.
When was the Treaty of Rapallo?
1922
Who had negotiated the Treaty of Rapallo?
Walther Rathenau
What were the 3 terms of the Treaty of Rapallo?
- Germany and Russia resumed trade and economic cooperation.
- All outstanding claims for reparations over war damage were dropped.
- Germany was allowed to develop new weapons and train pilots in Russia, away from Allied scrutiny.
What 2 things did the Treaty of Rapallo show the Allies?
- That Germany intended to get around the disarmament terms of the Treaty of Versailles.
- Germany refused to accept its eastern frontier with Poland which was implicit in the signing of the Rapallo treaty.
When was the Treaty of Berlin?
April 1926
What was the Treaty of Berlin?
A renewal of the Treaty of Rapallo between Germany and USSR.
What did the Treaty of Berlin show about Stresemann’s intentions?
It showed that while he had accepted the western border in the Locarno Pact, he still aimed for revisions of the eastern border with Poland.
What was the IMCC?
Inter-Allied Control Commission
What was the aim of the IMCC?
Ensure Germany complied with the disarmament clauses of the Treaty of Versailles, checking that existing weapons were destroyed and no new weapons were made.
When was the IMCC created?
After 1919 under the terms of the Treaty of Versailles.
What was Germany’s army limited to under the terms of the Treaty of Versailles?
100,000 men
What was the German army not allowed to have under the terms of the Treaty of Versailles?
- Air force
- Submarines and large battleships
What happened to the Rhineland under the terms of the Treaty of Versailles?
It was demilitarised, meaning German fortifications were removed and no German troops were allowed in the area.
How did the Allies ensure Germany complied with the military restrictions of the Treaty of Versailles?
- They occupied the Rhineland.
- They set up the IMCC to monitor Germany’s disarmament.
How were the disarmament clauses viewed by Germans?
They were deeply resented, especially since the Allies maintained their own forces in the Rhineland.
How did Germany get around the disarmament clauses of the Treaty of Versailles?
The Treaty of Rapallo
What did Germany agree with Spain?
They reached an arrangement whereby Germany could build submarines in Spain.
What did Germany agree with Sweden?
They reached an arrangement whereby Germany could build tanks and artillery in Sweden.
What did Germany’s military agreements with other countries ensure?
It did not provide them with a fully-functioning modern army, but it did ensure that Germany did not fall behind other powers in technological developments.
Where were new Germany fortifications built after the ones in the Rhine were dismantled?
Along the Polish border.
Who was Chief of the Army?
General von Seeckt
How did General von Seeckt get around the limitations on soldiers placed on Germany?
He enrolled recruits for a short period of time in which they would receive intense training. This ensured that there was a reserve of highly trained men who called be called to the army at short notice.
Other than creating a reserve army through short, intense training, what else did the army do to get around the disarmament?
Sponsored a number of paramilitary groups.
Even though secret rearmament was driven by army commanders, what did politicians like Rathenau and Stresemann do?
They gave their tacit consent through turning a blind eye to the extent of military cooperation.
When was the Kellogg-Briand Pact?
1928
Who was the Kellogg-Briand Pact between?
Germany and the USA and France.
What was the Kellogg-Briand Pact?
It was an agreement by the signatories to renounce the use of offensive wars to resolve disputes.
Why might the Kellogg-Briand Pact not be considered effective?
It had symbolic importance, but it lacked any enforcement mechanism which limited its effectiveness.
When was the end of allied occupation from German soil?
1930
When were occupation forces withdrawn from Zone 1 of the Rhineland?
1926
When was the IMCC dissolved?
1926
When was the Young Plan agreed?
1929
What did the Young Plan provide for?
It was a final settlement on the issue of reparations, and gave the Allies the confidence to withdraw any remaining occupying forces from the Rhineland.
When were occupying forces withdrawn from Zone 2 of the Rhineland?
1929
When were occupying forces withdrawn from Zone 3 of the Rhineland?
1930
How early were occupation forces removed from the Rhineland?
They were all removed by 1930, five years ahead of the schedule set down by the Treaty of Versailles.
When did Stresemann die?
1929
