The Locarno Treaty Overview of the Locarno Treaty

The Locarno Treaty

Overview of the Locarno Treaty • • Locarno Conference: October 5 – October 16, 1925 Formally signed in London on December 1, 1925 Health resort in Switzerland Between five countries • • Germany, France, Belgium, Britain, Italy Seven agreements • “Rhineland Pact” – the main pact • Treaty of Mutual Guarantee (aka 'The Locarno Pact')

Main Representatives • Germany • • France • • Émile Vandervelde Britain • • Aristide Briand Belgium • • Gustav Stresemann Austen Chamberlain Italy • Benito Mussolini

Purpose of the treaty • Allies and the new states wanted to secure the Treaty of Versailles post-war territorial settlement • • • Solidify Germany’s borders with Belgium and France Promised to normalize relations with Germany Ease worldwide post war tension

Terms of the Treaty • • • Belgium, France & Germany accepted promised to respect their joint frontiers • Ultimate cession of Alsace-Lorraine • Demilitarization of the left bank of the Rhine Britain and Italy acted as the guarantors Germany allowed to enter the League of Nations In case of Germany's occupation of the demilitarized zone military action might be taken in response Germany signed agreements with Poland Czechoslovakia providing for negotiation over possible disputes • • But Germany didn’t accept its eastern borders No guarantor for eastern part of the Locarno Treaties • France signed treaties with Poland Czechoslovakia

Short term ramifications • Tension between Allies & Germany finally resolving • • • High point of Franco-German relations before WWII Resulted in peace and “make ups” all over Europe • France and Britain • France and Germany 1925: Locarno Spring • Locarno Treaties seen as the source of the improved western European diplomatic climate of 1924 -1930 • Introduced a hope for international peace, or the "spirit of Locarno". • Resulted in a sense of excitement and optimism 1926: Germany invited to join the League of Nations 1927: Control of Germany's disarmament stopped

Long term ramifications • • People were confident that prosperity and peace were in the future after Locarno 1928: Kellogg-Briand pact signed • • Inspired by the success of the Locarno Treaty 1930: Germany was an independent state again • Germany could start to grow economically again without being a threat to Western Europe

Long term ramifications cont. The Wolf • Germany’s eastern borders weren't been set; Britain refused to guarantee Germany’s eastern borders • • Germany could change eastern borders with little objection from Allies Germany was still tied with USSR in Treaty of Rapallo • Could still avoid disarmament that was imposed on it

Long term ramifications cont. • • 1930: Hitler rises to power after Stresemann's death 1936: Sent troops into the demilitarized Rhineland 1938: Invaded Sudetenland in Czechoslovakia 1939: Invaded Poland

Response of other countries

Overall Even though the Locarno Treaty had been successful in bringing about peace, the League of Nations was not strengthened and the collective security remained uncertain

Sources Kearny, Julie. "PRE_1939_4. " Roots. Web: Freepages. Web. 09 Oct. 2010. <http: //freepages. history. rootsweb. ancestry. com/~wwtwopics/PRE_1939_4. htm>. Lowe, Norman. Mastering Modern World History. Houndmills, Basingstoke, Hampshire: Palgrave Macmillan, 2005. Print. "Locarno Pact - Wikisource. " Wikisource, the Free Library. 08 Oct. 2010. Web. 09 Oct. 2010. <http: //en. wikisource. org/wiki/Locarno_Pact>. Simkin, John. "Treaty of Locarno. " Spartacus Educational - Home Page. Web. 09 Oct. 2010. <http: //www. spartacus. schoolnet. co. uk/GERlocarno. htm>.