In October 1925 representatives of France, Britain, Germany, Italy, Belgium, Poland, met in Locarno in Switzerland. The agreements decided were:
- Germany finally accepted the borders with France and Belgium.
- Germany accepted that the Rhineland would remain a demilitarized zone.
- France and Germany agreed to settle any future disputes through the League of Nations.
The Locarno agreements were greeted with terrific enthusiasm and celebrated. The agreements led to Germany to join the League of Nations in 1926. Austen Chamberlain, British Foreign secretary, gives his judgement on the Locarno Treaties in 1925. ‘A great work of peace has been done…It would not have been done unless all the governments had felt the need to start a new and better chapter of international relations.’ This shows that governments are in search of peace and want no tension or war from other countries. I agree with him because the aim of the League of Nations was to settle disputes through diplomacy and not war so by Germany joining the League they are showing they want peace and not war and want to start fresh relationships amongst the countries.
The League of Nations was certainly successful in the 1920’s. It solved a number of minor international border disputes such as:
Germany and Poland over Upper Silesia in 1921
Sweden and Finland over the Aaland Islands in 1921.
Greece and Bulgaria over Bulgaria in 1925
The League achieved valuable economic and social work such as when it helped thousands of refugees and former prisoners of war to find their way home again. The League improved working conditions such as when The International Labour Organization was successful in banning poisonous white lead from paint and in limiting the hours that small children were allowed to work. The Health committee worked hard to defeat the dreaded disease leprosy. The League produced an international highway code for road users. The league removed a lot of drug trafficking, prostitution and slavery.
The implications of theses successes show that The League of Nations was working and hope was rebuilding within it. The Washington Conference showed that some countries were determined to begin process of weapons reduction. The Geneva Protocol seemed to be strengthening the League. The Dawes Plan and the Young Plan were helping Germany to recover which would increase trade and cooperation. The Locarno Treaties suggested that Germany was at last prepared to accept the terms of the Versailles Treaty. The Kellogg-Briand Pact seemed to be a step towards lasting Peace.
Europe in the 1920’s was unstable due to the following points:
The USA was not a member of the League of Nations
The League of Nations had not enough power
There were splits amongst the ‘big 4’
Threat of communism
Countless border disputes
Europe dependant on US $
Wall Street Crash
Decreased self-determination in new states
Countries mistrust and failure of disarmament
The USA did not want to get involved in international affairs and didn’t join the League. The unsteady foundations of the League of Nations meant that it had no power. Britain and France were in charge, but neither country was strong enough after the War to do its job properly. Economic and military sanctions could only work if a powerful nation like USA was applying them, but most countries were rebuilding. The League had no army of its own, and most members didn’t want to commit troops to war.
It was the job of the League to sort out border disputes. From the start there was so much for the league to do that some disputes were handled badly. The dispute of Corfu in 1923 involved the Greeks and Italy. Italians were ambushed and killed whilst surveying the Greek side of the frontier area. The Italian leader Mussolini was furious and blamed the Greek government for the murder. He demanded compensation to Italy and execute the murderers. The Greeks, however, had no idea who the murderers were. On 31 of August Mussolini bombarded and occupied the Greek island of Corfu. Fifteen people were killed. Greece appealed to the League for help. The league’s decision condemned Mussolini’s actions and suggested that Greece pay compensation. Mussolini got to work secretly on the Conference of Ambassadors and persuaded it to change the League’s ruling. The Greeks had to apologise and pay compensation directly to Italy. The incident demonstrated how the League of Nations could be undermined by its own members. Quote form J and G stokes, ‘The settlement of the dispute between Italy and Greece, though not strictly a League victory, upheld the principles on which it was based.’ This shows that The League of Nations abandoned its principles and had weaknesses within it. I agree with the historian because the League of Nations should follow its principles and had showed weaknesses within its League that resulted in a failure.
Very little progress had been made in disarmament. Only in Germany had this happened because Germany had been forced to disarm. The countries of Europe still did not trust one another. After the Washington Conference, nobody wanted to reduce arms further – the League had failed in its disarmament plans. Defeated countries were angry that they had been forced to disarm. The benefits of the Dawes and Young Plan were wiped out by the economic depression. Countries began to make arguments without the League of Nations because they didn’t trust it to be effective. France made treaties with several countries because it didn’t trust Germany.
The peace makers wanted to establish democracy in Europe, on the model of Britain, France and USA but Italian democracy soon ran into trouble. In countries like Italy most of the people were poor and expected the government to do something to help them. Democracy would only survive if people supported the idea and kept voting for it. But the years after the War were difficult in the new democratic countries and people expected quick solutions to the problems but they didn’t come. The rise of Fascism was a bid danger to democracy and seemed unstoppable. The Fascists in Italy were led by Benito Mussolini and he bullied his way into control and Mussolini’s men terrorised the Socialists. Mussolini threatened to march on Rome. This terrified the King Victor Emmanuel ΙΙΙ so Mussolini was asked to become Prime Minister. From 1925 he began to change Italy into a dictatorship. He got rid of political parties, and became Head of State. Many countries were now becoming Dictatorships.
The implications of these failures show that The League of Nations was weak and was unreliable. The League of Nations aim of disarmament was being rejected by countries and countries still did not trust one another and tension still remained. Democracy was also rejected and instead dictators were coming into power. Fascism seemed to be unstoppable and had a serious threat to democracy.
Many European Countries had US debts and Europe couldn’t afford US goods. Countries such as Germany, Austria and Hungary were completely dependant on US loans but share prices dropped and resulted in a Financial Crash that effected many countries. Business collapsed and thousands of people were ruined in The Wall Street Crash 1929.
Therefore my opinion is that there was more instability in Europe than there was Stability. I think this because The League of Nations had failed and its aims were rejected. Splits amongst the big 4 resulted in mistrust. Tension still remained between countries. Many countries were becoming dictatorships. The agreements had problems. The rise of Fascism was unstoppable. Countries relied on US loans but behind the prosperity there wear signs of trouble and resulted in The Wall Street Crash. Europe was in shatters.