The short period of 103 days that Stresseman had incharge of his native Germany were memorable ones for his citizens, as he achieved some great things for them. He successfully managed to do what many other German chancellor’s had done such as stopping hyperinflation and stabilising the German currency. The rentenmark was the new currency introduced by Stresseman, in order to help stop inflation (in the short run.)
The Dawes Plan, along with the Young Plan were examples of this great statesman’s work, as he battled hard to reduce the reparation repayments to slightly more realistic amounts for Germany. The Dawes Plan successfully reorganised the whole of the Reichsbank, reduced the total reparations bill by spreading out repayments with annual payments. The Young Plan was a similar record of achievement by Stresseman, in the interests of his own country, where he managed to revise the total reparations amount and fix a date for it to be paid back by, along with withdrawing troops from the Rhineland, a whole 5 years ahead of the time set!
The Locarno pact’s also allowed Stresseman to protect Germany’s Eastern borders by leaving the door open for further revisions of the European map.
These were not the only successes that Stresseman achieved for his nation, he also managed to do some things that would protect Germany in the future and make them less vulnerable to the allies. He managed to get them involved in the League of Nations, in August 1926, in order to protect Germany further.
Despite all these great achievements by a fine statesman, German nationalists still did oppose him at the time, as they were concerned with how he was allowing America interfere with Germany (Dawes Plan), and felt it was a very un-German thing to do. Not only this, but he did face some slight problems when the Wall Street Crash happened, as the United States wanted all their money back that they had pumped into Germany through the Dawes plan.
Although Stresseman was a key man in preventing hyperinflation in Germany, the Americans also do have to go down as key members in helping solve the situation, through all their generous loans. Stresseman was able to work closely with these other nations, despite certain unrest in Germany, as he was only interested in the well-being of his nation of Germany, in the future, and wanted to protect their interests.
The main foreign policy aims that Gustav Stresseman had when he became chancellor, were for Germany to regain its great power status in Europe, and also to make friends with France, and the West, in order to improve future relations between other nations, which would also determine how Germany was to be treated by others in the future.
Germany did regain its great power status thanks to Stresseman and the Americans managing to help sort out the reparation fees, and for stopping hyperinflation. Not only this, but Stresseman managed to rebuild German economy and actually make them some friends, which was greatly needed for Germany to continue to grow and become a big power again in Europe.
