Chapter 4:
The Dawes Plan:
The terms of the Dawes Plan were: assist the restoration of the German economy by the US loaning an 800 million gold mark loan to Germany. This would allow Germany to rebuild their railways and several key industries, along with that, Germany would repay the Allies through the money they received as they rebuilt their industry. It helped maintain stability in Europe by decreasing the French’s power over Germany. This decrease in tension allowed the countries to work in a more harmonious manner.
The Locarno Agreements:
The terms of the Locarno Agreements were as follow: four arbitration treaties, a Treaty of mutual Guarantee, the treaties were under-written by an Anglo-Italian guarantee, Italy had no direct interest in the Rhineland but was brought into the guarantee because of France, and Belgium, France and Germany pledged themselves not to attack one another unless in self-defense. The French gained true security on their Eastern boarders, Britain was able to decrease French power and better their relationship with Germany, while Germany gained the possibility of revising the German-Polish frontier. They were received with such enthusiasm because European nations believed they had achieved peace.
The ‘Locarno Spirit’ and the Re-emergence of Germany as a Great Power:
The Locarno treaties played a large role in the revision of the Treaty of Versailles; however, they were not the sole causes. The Locarno treaties enabled Germany to become a member of the League of Nations. Becoming a member gave Germany the ability to become more prominent in international and foreign policies throughout Europe. This gave the country the opportunity to recommend the Young Plan and the Rhineland Pact. These offered Germany the stepping-stone to revising the Treaty of Versailles.
Russia and Eastern Europe:
During the Locarno Era, Russia was under the control of Stalin. This made the rest of Europe every fearful