Weimar Germany - Foreign Policy Flashcards
1
Q
Overall aim of Weimar foreign policy
A
To revise terms of treaty of Versailles
2
Q
Streseman’s policy of fulfilment
A
- believed cooperated over ToV over reparations and territory would lead to more revision of the treaty
- followed a route of negotiation and compromise
3
Q
Opposition to policy of fulfilment
A
- DNVP and right wing parties felt germany should defy the unjust terms of the ToV and refuse to pay reparations
4
Q
Actions of Streseman’s policy
A
- End passive resistance against occupation of the Ruhr
- Dawes Plan 1924
5
Q
End of passive resistance
A
- those living in the Ruhr would not cooperate with the French after their invasion + promised their wages by gov if they continued to strike
- Stresemann ended this which increased cooperation with France and reduced gov expenditure
- however was unpopular and risky, led to Munich beer hall putsch 1923
6
Q
Dawes Plan 1924
A
- reduced amount of reparations paid each year by germany to 1000 million marks until 1929. Increasing in increments
- received 800 million marks from USA to re-build German economy
- allies accepted germanys financial problems were real
- opposition from right believed they shouldn’t have to pay reparations at all
7
Q
Young plan 1929
A
- reparations bill reduced to £1.8 billion from £6.6 billion
- Germany had to continue paying reparations until 1988
- Britain and France agreed to withdraw all troops from Rhineland by 1930
- But, this inflamed nationalist opinion in Germany
8
Q
Evaluation of policy of fufilment
A
- French gradually left the Ruhr 1924-25 as could see reparations would be paid
- contributed to German optimism
- rewarded with Locarno pact 1925
- nationalists right consistently argues to reject ToV and re-build military strength therefore opposing Streseman’s
9
Q
Locarno pact 1925
A
- western frontier borders fixed and respected
- germany troops out of Rhineland
- Britain + Italy promised aid to Germany, France or Belgium if any were attacked by their neighbours
- disputes about western borders should be referred to League of Nations
10
Q
Evaluation of Locarno pact
A
- first time germany had recognised western borders and accepted lost territory from ToV
- french guaranteed support from invasion - felt more secure
- meant occupation of the Ruhr would not happen again
- led to eventful full withdrawal of french troops from Rhineland
- germany established as equal partner to western powers
- germany accepted into League of Nations 1926
- but, right wing still attacked for appeasing the allies
11
Q
Treaty of rapallo 1922
A
- clearly implied cooperation against Poland
- Germany and Russia resumed trade and economic cooperation
- Diplomatic relations between them restored
- All claims for compensation from war dropped
- Germany allowed to develop new weapons and train pilots in Russia
- step away from German isolation
- but, angered allies as Germany tried to get round disarmament
12
Q
Treaty of Berlin 1926
A
- renewed treaty of rapallo
- added that germany would remain neutral if USSR went to war as long as they weren’t the aggressor
- showed stresemann still wanted to revise eastern frontiers
13
Q
Extent of disarmament
A
- army limited to 100k men
- no air force, no submarines or large battleships
- Rhineland demilitarised
- caused burning resentment in germany
- treaty of rapallo showed how germany was not able to fall far behind and get around the ToV
- built submarines in Spain and artillery in Sweden
- recruits to army enlisted for short times to have high number of trained reserves
14
Q
Kellog-Briand pact 1928
A
- between France and US stating to renounce the use of war to resolve disputes
- Germany one of first to sign
- was symbolic as was an international agreement to avoid war but lacked enforcement
15
Q
End of allied occupation
A
- achieved by 1930
- due to success of Stresemanns policy of fufilment
