Stresemann: Strengthen Or Weakening The Weimar Republic
Stresemann – strengthening or weakening the Weimar Republic? ( = concerning central question)
- Weimar 1923-1929 = “Stresemann Era” - Germany’s Foreign Minister - successful foreign policy needed to reduce public hatred (of Versailles Treaty) and help economy grow - “Ludendorff’s young man”: supported unrestriced submarine warfare and the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk - he formed the German People’s Party (DVP) ( conservative; wanted constitutional monarchy - Aug. 1923: appointed as Chancellor to deal with economic crisis - 1926: was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his diplomatic work - 1929: death aims and strategy: aims: - wanted to restore G.’s power and prosperity - policy of co-operation …show more content…
with the West and conciliation/pressure on other powers ( hoped revision of treaty - other powers were reliable on G.’s economy (supplier for coal to Fr., market for Br., investment opportunity for USA) ( countries could not afford to let G. economy collapse… ( realistic strategy = Erfüllungspolitik (fulfilment): fulfilling terms of the treaty to improve relations with Br. and Fr. ( encourage them to revise treaty strategy: - negotiation ( G. lacked military power - gaining confidence of Western powers ( end diplomatic isolation - using G. economy to revise treaty rather than force - co-operation with USA ( economic aid - satisfying French - links with USSR ( pressure on the West his hopes: - less reparation costs - end of Ruhr occupation - end of military control over G. fulfilled - eastern borders revised reparations issue 1919-1932: - USA set a high limit for reparations to be paid by G.: 226,000 million marks over 42 yrs. - problems to be solved with Dawes and Young plans because reparations too high
Dawes Plan (1924): - created by financial expert Charles Dawes - attempt for Allies to collect war reparations debt from G. ( unsuccessful - reduction in the annual amount of German reparations - annual payments started at 1,000 million marks and increased to 2,500 million after 5 yrs. ( total payment: 132,000 million - Reichsbank reorganized and under Allied supervision as well as railways - 800 million was given to G. for ecomic aid! - outcome: helped economy recovery - problems: no end was set for payment; total payment still too high; dependence on USA; international control over railways etc.
Young Plan (1929) - programme for settlement of G. reparations debt presented by Owen Young - result of Dawes Plan because G. couldn’t meet huge annual payment - total payment reduced to 37,000 million marks - lower annual payment ove 58 yrs. - Allied supervision abrogated - outcome: Allied troops were withdrawn in 1930s - problems: internal opposition by nationalists ( arranged referendum on its acceptance (didn’t want to pay reparations at all)( NSDAP wanted Freiheitsgesetz ("Liberty Law") to renounce all reparations (amongst others); the Young Plan collapsed with the coming of the Great Depression ➢ G. only paid 1/8 of original sum (paid in form of coal, manufactured goods and gold)
Locarno Pact (1925) - seven agreements negotiated at Locarno/Switzerland between G., Br., Fr., Italy, Belgium - thought to secure post-war territorial settlement - divided orders in Europe into western borders (guaranteed by Locarno treaties) and eastern borders (open for revision) - G. reassured Fr.’s borders ( G. could concentrate on revision in east - outcome: all countries renounced use of invasion; G.
also signed arbitration treaties with Poland and Czechoslovakia renouncing use of force ( improved western European climate; hope for international peace (“spirit of Locarno”)
League of Nations (1926) - internationals organization founded as a result of Versailles Treaty - G. joined in 1926 and was given a veto power on League Council ( great power! - G. used its position to raise G. interest
Treaty of Berlin (1926) - G. and USSR pledged neutrality in event of attack on the other by third country for the next 5 yrs.
( helped to develop good relations between these two countries ➢ Stresemann transformed G. from being a distrusted outcast to being actively involved in European diplomacy!
Allied occupation (1924-1925) - Stresemann called off passive resistance ( Fr. withdraw from Ruhr - Young Plan: Allies withdraw completely in 1930
Disarmament
- Stresemann wanted to address issue of disarmament - 1928: Kellog-Briand-Pact was signed with 70 other countries to renounce use of force to end war and create international peace ( ineffective… - 1926: minor success = Inter-Allied Military Control Commission was withdrawn - G. secretely
rearmed
Central question: PROs: (strength) CONs: (weakness)
| | |
|Erfüllungspolitik (negotiations) |Dawes Plan (reparations still too high; dependence on USA) |
|Dawes Plan (reduced reparations; 800 million loan ( economic |Young Plan (international opposition) |
|recovery) |League of Nations (too much power for G. ( fear for other |
|Young Plan (reduced reparations again; Allied troops withdrwan) |countries) |
|Locarno Pact (improved European climate) |Kellog-Briand-Pact failed |
|League of Nations (great power to G.) | |
|Treaty of Berlin (G. involved in European diplomacy) | |
|Allied occupation (no passive resistance anymore) | |
|Kellog-Briand-Pact (renounced use of force) | |
- Weimar 1923-1929 = “Stresemann Era” - Germany’s Foreign Minister - successful foreign policy needed to reduce public hatred (of Versailles Treaty) and help economy grow - “Ludendorff’s young man”: supported unrestriced submarine warfare and the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk - he formed the German People’s Party (DVP) ( conservative; wanted constitutional monarchy - Aug. 1923: appointed as Chancellor to deal with economic crisis - 1926: was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his diplomatic work - 1929: death aims and strategy: aims: - wanted to restore G.’s power and prosperity - policy of co-operation …show more content…
with the West and conciliation/pressure on other powers ( hoped revision of treaty - other powers were reliable on G.’s economy (supplier for coal to Fr., market for Br., investment opportunity for USA) ( countries could not afford to let G. economy collapse… ( realistic strategy = Erfüllungspolitik (fulfilment): fulfilling terms of the treaty to improve relations with Br. and Fr. ( encourage them to revise treaty strategy: - negotiation ( G. lacked military power - gaining confidence of Western powers ( end diplomatic isolation - using G. economy to revise treaty rather than force - co-operation with USA ( economic aid - satisfying French - links with USSR ( pressure on the West his hopes: - less reparation costs - end of Ruhr occupation - end of military control over G. fulfilled - eastern borders revised reparations issue 1919-1932: - USA set a high limit for reparations to be paid by G.: 226,000 million marks over 42 yrs. - problems to be solved with Dawes and Young plans because reparations too high
Dawes Plan (1924): - created by financial expert Charles Dawes - attempt for Allies to collect war reparations debt from G. ( unsuccessful - reduction in the annual amount of German reparations - annual payments started at 1,000 million marks and increased to 2,500 million after 5 yrs. ( total payment: 132,000 million - Reichsbank reorganized and under Allied supervision as well as railways - 800 million was given to G. for ecomic aid! - outcome: helped economy recovery - problems: no end was set for payment; total payment still too high; dependence on USA; international control over railways etc.
Young Plan (1929) - programme for settlement of G. reparations debt presented by Owen Young - result of Dawes Plan because G. couldn’t meet huge annual payment - total payment reduced to 37,000 million marks - lower annual payment ove 58 yrs. - Allied supervision abrogated - outcome: Allied troops were withdrawn in 1930s - problems: internal opposition by nationalists ( arranged referendum on its acceptance (didn’t want to pay reparations at all)( NSDAP wanted Freiheitsgesetz ("Liberty Law") to renounce all reparations (amongst others); the Young Plan collapsed with the coming of the Great Depression ➢ G. only paid 1/8 of original sum (paid in form of coal, manufactured goods and gold)
Locarno Pact (1925) - seven agreements negotiated at Locarno/Switzerland between G., Br., Fr., Italy, Belgium - thought to secure post-war territorial settlement - divided orders in Europe into western borders (guaranteed by Locarno treaties) and eastern borders (open for revision) - G. reassured Fr.’s borders ( G. could concentrate on revision in east - outcome: all countries renounced use of invasion; G.
also signed arbitration treaties with Poland and Czechoslovakia renouncing use of force ( improved western European climate; hope for international peace (“spirit of Locarno”)
League of Nations (1926) - internationals organization founded as a result of Versailles Treaty - G. joined in 1926 and was given a veto power on League Council ( great power! - G. used its position to raise G. interest
Treaty of Berlin (1926) - G. and USSR pledged neutrality in event of attack on the other by third country for the next 5 yrs.
( helped to develop good relations between these two countries ➢ Stresemann transformed G. from being a distrusted outcast to being actively involved in European diplomacy!
Allied occupation (1924-1925) - Stresemann called off passive resistance ( Fr. withdraw from Ruhr - Young Plan: Allies withdraw completely in 1930
Disarmament
- Stresemann wanted to address issue of disarmament - 1928: Kellog-Briand-Pact was signed with 70 other countries to renounce use of force to end war and create international peace ( ineffective… - 1926: minor success = Inter-Allied Military Control Commission was withdrawn - G. secretely
rearmed
Central question: PROs: (strength) CONs: (weakness)
| | |
|Erfüllungspolitik (negotiations) |Dawes Plan (reparations still too high; dependence on USA) |
|Dawes Plan (reduced reparations; 800 million loan ( economic |Young Plan (international opposition) |
|recovery) |League of Nations (too much power for G. ( fear for other |
|Young Plan (reduced reparations again; Allied troops withdrwan) |countries) |
|Locarno Pact (improved European climate) |Kellog-Briand-Pact failed |
|League of Nations (great power to G.) | |
|Treaty of Berlin (G. involved in European diplomacy) | |
|Allied occupation (no passive resistance anymore) | |
|Kellog-Briand-Pact (renounced use of force) | |