Locarno Honeymoon
So called because the pacts of the mid 1920s were intended to introduce a period of calm to Europe. It was eventually realised that some of the policies made during this time were in reality unproductive.
“The agreements [of the Locarno Treaties] were greeted with wild enthusiasm all over Europ, and then reconciliation between France and Germany was referred to as the ‘Locarno honeymoon’. Later, historians were not so enthusiastic about Locarno; there was one glaring omission from the agreements – no guarantees were given by Germany or Britain about Germany’s eastern frontiers with Poland and Czechoslovakia, the very areas where trouble was most likely to arise.”
Lowe, Norman. Mastering Modern World History. Houndmills, Basingstoke, Hampshire: Palgrave Macmillan, 2005. Print.
The Locarno agreements:
Date: 1925
Countries involved: Germany, France, Belgium, Britain, Italy.
Aims: Britain and Italy would help Belgian and French frontiers against German attacks.
And also help German frontiers against French agrresion.
Tried making a more friendly attitude between countries, and tried to make closer relations with Germany.
Supported Germany to join the league of nation, even though many countries objected so it did not happen immediately.
Also to add:
The Locarno honeymoon (1925)
- Temporarily resolved the conflict between Germany and France
- Provided hope all across Europe of a long lasting peace
- Also a false sense of security
- Germany accepted its borders with France and Belqium as permanent. These borders were required by the UK, France, Germany, Italy
- Seen as a great step towards long lasting peace
- Britain and Germany did not guarantee it would help secure the borders of Germany with Czechoslovakia and Poland. This gave Germany the message that they could do whatever they want with no