Past paper questions Flashcards
How successful were the Dawes and Young Plans in solving the
problem of reparations? [20mks]
Explain why the League of Nations had only a limited membership
when it first met in 1920 [10mk]
- Countries that had lost in the war were not invited to join, i.e., Germany,
Austria, and Turkey. - Russia had abandoned its alliance with France and Britain and was in
the midst of a Civil War, so it was not invited to the League of Nations’
founding conference in Versailles. - Eastern European states had only just been created as independent
units and were still organising their internal affairs. - Because most of Africa was still under European control, Liberia was
the only independent African state. - Much of the Middle East and South East Asia was still under European
control.
Explain why the Washington International Naval Conference was held
in 1921–22. 10mks
General support for peace and disarmament after the First World War.
US wanted to confirm its military position in the Pacific.
US concerns about growing Japanese strength.
Avoid a naval arms race like that before the First World War.
Concern over Japanese moves into China – wish by western powers to
maintain the Open Door Policy in trade with China.
Explain why there was no improvement in Franco‒German relations before 1924. [10]
French demands at Versailles were not fully met, which led to continued
fear of a German revival.
* German dissatisfactions with Versailles, especially the War Guilt clause
* Level of reparations when finally settled in 1921, were seen as too high
by Germany and insufficient by France.
* Failure of the Genoa Conference (1922) meant the political and financial
issues facing Europe remained. The signing of the Rapallo Pact was a
spin-off of the conference, as the harsh stance taken by the French left
Germany with little alternative but to move closer to Russia.
* French and Belgian invasion of Ruhr in 1923
How successful was the USSR in establishing links with other European powers in the 1920s?
[20]
Failures
* The exclusion of Russia from Versailles because of the signing of
Brest Litovsk as a basis for their problems in building links with the
West.
* The failure at the Genoa conference because of issue of French
loans to Tsarist government, as France demanded that USSR
honour theses debts.
* A general suspicion of communism as an expansionist ideology
especially after the Spartacist risings in Germany.
* The effects of the Zinoviev letter (1924) – the new Conservative
government of Stanley Baldwin was far cooler towards USSR,
recognised by the Labour government in 1924, and broke off
diplomatic relations in 1927.
* Concerns over the role and objectives of the Comintern.
Successes
* The Anglo-Soviet trade agreement 1921 and the signing of the
Rapallo Pact with Germany in the wake of the failure of the Genoa
Conference. This was followed up with Soviet-German military
training exercises, a general Anglo-Soviet Treaty 1924 (formal
recognition) and Renewal of Rapallo in Treaty of Berlin 1926.
* The incoming Labour government of 1929 established permanent
diplomatic relations with USSR
Explain why the French were dissatisfied with the Treaty of Versailles. 10mks
The French wanted Germany permanently disabled, preferably
broken up into smaller states; this did not happen
* The French wanted key areas like the Rhineland and the Saar
coalfields but though the Rhineland was demilitarised and the Saar
was placed under French/British control for 15 years. this was less
than expected
* They did not gain full control of German colonies which were
placed under League of Nations mandate
* The reparation figure that was eventually agreed was less than the
French wanted
* Failure of USA to ratify ToV left France feeling abandoned by its
allies.
How successful was the League of Nations in settling international
disputes in the 1920s? 20mks
The League of Nations (LoN) mediated in the Aaland islands dispute
between Sweden and Finland 1920. Resolved the Upper Silesia coalfield
dispute between Poland and Germany 1922. It settled the issue of Memel
(1920). Settled the Greco-Bulgarian border dispute 1925.Introduced the
Slavery Convention 1926. Continued to work throughout the 1920s for an
international disarmament conference with a preparatory commission set up
in 1925
However, the LoN could not prevent Polish seizure of Vilnius region from
Lithuania 1921. Mussolini would not back down over the Corfu crisis (though
not strictly a LoN issue the murdered Italians were working on behalf of the
League). All attempts to agree measures for disarmament as proposed in
the Versailles Settlement failed though the League did set up a preparatory
commission in 1925 to move towards an international conference on this
(which did meet in 1933 but was a failure). The ILO failed to get international
agreement on 48 hour working week.
Explain why the Rapallo Pact was signed in 1922 10mks
Both sides were isolated after First World War; Germany because of the
Treaty of Versailles and Russia because of the Revolution and
withdrawal from First World War.
* Both had been excluded from the League of Nations.
* Both were invited to the Genoa Conference but were offered no
solutions to their diplomatic isolation.
* It resolved outstanding issues between them left over from First World
War including the possibility of reparations
* It established formal relations and trade and military agreements that
were beneficial to both sides
To what extent did the Locarno Treaties resolve international tensions in the second half of
the 1920s? 10mks
Did resolve:
It resolved border issue in Western Europe between Belgium,
France and Germany. Additionally, the security of this agreement was
underwritten by guarantees from Britain and Italy. There was a significant
improvement in Franco–German relations, partly built of economic recovery
and partly on the positive relationship between Briand and Stresemann who
were jointly awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1926. Also led to further
improvement with the Kellogg Briand Pact of 1928 which was a general
renunciation of war as a means of settling disputes that was eventually
signed by 62 states including the USA and the USSR. In the improved
atmosphere of cooperation, the Young Plan was negotiated to reduce
German reparations and resolve some of the problems left by the Dawes
Plan
Did not resolve:
There was no corresponding settlement of border issues in
eastern Europe. Poland was particularly incensed by the failure to provide
guarantees of its borders and Pilsudski said, ‘every honest Pole spits when
he hears the word Locarno.’ Despite the Kellogg Briand Pact there was little
progress in the League of Nations attempt to organise general disarmament
negotiations. The Wall Street Crash led to the collapse of the Young Plan,
rising political extremism and a return to mutual distrust at the end of the
decade
Why, during the Paris peace talks in 1919, did Clemenceau insist that harsh
terms be imposed on Germany? 10mks
This was partly due to the French desire for revenge, both for the humiliating
defeat in the Franco-Prussian War (1870–1871) and for the devastation
which France had endured during WWI.
* It was, however, also due to fear; fear that Germany might rise from its
defeat in WWI to once again threaten French security. Imposing a harsh
settlement on the Germans would, Clemenceau believed, make it impossible
for Germany to threaten France again in the foreseeable future.
* Clemenceau accepted that the War Guilt Clause should be inserted in the
Treaty of Versailles, as justification for the imposition on Germany of
reparation payments.
* Reparations were intended as compensation for the damage inflicted by
Germany during the First World War. It was at Clemenceau’s insistence that
these payments were set at such a high level to ensure Germany would
remain economically weak. Reparations would assist France in repaying
war-time loans to the USA
Which did more to ease tension between France and Germany: the Dawes
Plan or the Locarno Treaties? 20mks
The Dawes Plan; In 1923, the French invaded the Ruhr as Germany had defaulted on its
reparation payments. The USA was itself owed large sums by Paris and London;
the repayment of these loans hinged on the French and British taking receipt of
German reparations. The occupation, however, backfired in two ways – first, it
damaged the German economy, making it even more difficult for Germany to pay
reparations. Secondly, it soured French relations with Britain, which had its own
reasons for wanting a resurgence of the German economy. The Dawes Plan was
crucial in addressing the immediate issue of France’s occupation of the Ruhr.
While Germany’s annual reparations requirements were restricted to what it
‘could reasonably afford’, it received sizeable loans (mainly from the USA) which
meant that France could be assured that it would continue to receive reparation
payments. With this assurance, France withdrew from the Ruhr. This clearly
helped to reduce tensions, both between France and Germany, but also between
France and Britain. To some extent, however, it could be said that the French
willingness to compromise owed more to the international condemnation of its
occupation of the Ruhr which led to it becoming even more isolated and
vulnerable than before
The Locarno Treaties ; The Locarno Treaties of 1925 addressed a rather different issue relating to
French concerns about security. Germany, France and Belgium agreed to
respect their joint frontiers, agreements which were guaranteed by both Britain
and Italy. This finally gave France the security it had lacked since the Treaty of
Versailles. The good working relationship which developed between the French
and German Foreign Ministers (Briand and Stresemann) at Locarno also seemed
to herald a period of lessened tension between France and Germany. France
appeared more willing to compromise and less determined to enforce a hard line
against Germany, as reflected in French willingness to accept the Young Plan of
1929, which reduced German reparation requirements
‘The Dawes Plan was the most important factor in improving international relations in the 1920s.’ How far do you
agree? 20mks
For;
- France agreed to withdraw from the ruhr in return for the apparent guarantee of receiving German reparations which the Dawes Plan provided
-. France’s new willingness to compromise led to
the Locarno agreements, which satisfied French fears of German aggression. It also led to far better relations between France
and Germany, symbolised by the good working relationship between Briand and Stresemann. Reduced tensions also led to
the development of the Kellogg-Briand Pact, an agreement renouncing war which was signed by 65 nations. The fact that the
Young Plan was accepted in 1929, effectively reducing Germany’s reparation requirements to a more realistic level, is
evidence of improved international relations. It was a clear example of the French willingness to compromise, which had emerged as a result of the Dawes Plan.
Against;
Locarno Treaties did more to ease tensions in Europe, finally providing France with the apparent guarantee of support in the
event of German aggression. It was this, rather than the Dawes Plan, which encouraged better relations between France and
Germany in the later 1920s. The Washington Naval Conference was vital in easing tensions in Eastern Asia, preventing (at
least during the 1920s) the kind of naval arms race which had been a significant causal factor of the First World War. While
the Dawes Plan did appear to herald better relations between France and Germany, in reality it did not solve the problem of
reparations which had been a cause of international tension since 1919. France remained highly concerned about a possible
German resurgence, which would pose a threat to French security. France only agreed to the Dawes Plan because its
invasion of the Ruhr had left it isolated and vulnerable; it had become a diplomatic necessity for France to appear willing to
compromise. German reparation requirements remained unrealistically high, and could only be met with the aid of American
loans. There remained the problem of whether Germany would be able to meet both its reparation requirements and its
repayments to the USA. Britain and France depended on reparations received from Germany to pay off their own war debts to
the USA.
Why was Corfu at the centre of an international crisis in 1923? 10mk
Greece appealed to the League of Nations; the Council of the
League met and told Mussolini to leave Corfu. Mussolini refused to
co-operate with the League and demanded that the Conference of
Ambassadors should deal with the matter. Italy stated that it would
leave the League rather than allow the League to interfere. The
League appeared to be under threat of collapse.
* A division emerged between Britain and France over the Corfu
incident. Britain favoured referring the matter to the League of
Nations, but France opposed such a course of action. France
feared that it would provide a precedent for the League to become
involved in the French occupation of the Ruhr.
* The Conference of Ambassadors announced that Greece was to
apologise and pay the full amount of compensation Italy demanded
in exchange for the withdrawal of Italian troops from Corfu.
* Greece paid the compensation and Italian troops withdrew from
Corfu. This showed the weakness of the League of Nations very
early in its history as Mussolini had refused to agree to the
League’s demands.
‘International relations in Europe during the 1920s were dominated by
economic issues.’ How far do you agree with this claim?
For :
-German hyperinflation = Dawes Plan
-Great Depression
-German reparations - Genoa Conference
Against;
- Corfu incident
-Fear of spread of communism due to the bolsheviks success in the Russian Civil War
-Tensions amongst the successor states
-USA isolationasim
