Balance of power France: balancing Germany · France had no US security guarantee therefore sought allies against Germany (encirclement) · Franco-Belgian Military Accord (1920) . Franco-Polish Alliance (1921) · Cooperation with 'Little Entente' (Czechoslovakia, Romania, Yugoslavia) (post- Locarno 1925) . No deal with Italy due to the rise of Fascism (Mussolini) and Italy resented Treaty of Versailles (felt sidelined) . no deal with Russia due to the ideological opposition to its wartime ally (Bolsheviks) Russia: rapprochement with Germany . Part of Triple Entente / Allies vs Germany in WWI · New Bolshevik government withdrew from war in 1917 . Treaty of Brest-Litovsk (1918) with Germany (at great material/human cost to Russia) . Russia excluded from peace treaties however later on signed Treaty of Rapallo (1922) which renounced mutual claims of the Best-Litovsk and opened trade · Rapallo was a secret military deal which called for Germany and the USSR to cooperate in military planning and allowed Germany many weapons banned under the Treaty of Versailles -blow to the authority of the Locarno treaty. · German / Russian rapprochement also weakened French attempts to enforce Versailles ad strengthened US and UK attempts to implement Dawes Plan (1924), to soften German reparations and withdraw Allied troops from Ruhr Germany: 'revises' Treaty of Versailles . Treaty stated that Germany was solely responsible for WWI and was forced to disarm & pay reparations . However Dawes Plan and Young plan (1929) reevaluate the treaty - opposed by France · German foreign minister Stresemann achieved liberation of Ruhr and rearmed (with secret Soviet assistance) UK: 'reverses' Treaty of Versailles . Britain sponsored Treaty of Locarno (1925) which was signed by UK, France, Italy, Germany, Belgium however France was reluctant to sign as it was suspicious of the treaty. · The treaty acknowledged borders · demilitarize Rhineland (buffer zone)
· reduced Allied military inspections · Germany admitted to League of Nations The Terms of the Locarno Treaties: · Germany, France and Belgium would agree to accept their existing borders as laid down by the ToV. · Britain and Italy were to guarantee that the main agreement was kept: They would take action if Germany, France or Belgium attacked each other. · However the above two agreements did not apply to the eastern borders of Germany The impact of the Locarno settlement on Germany: · The treaties made no mention of Germany's eastern borders which encouraged Germany to explore options at east front Locarno was a great success for Stresemann: · Large amounts of American money were invested in Germany allowing them to grow stronger. · Germany was secretly rearming thanks to the economic recovery that she made with the aid of treaties such as Locarno. But Stresemann was not content. For he wanted the following: · A solution to the Rhineland problem favorable to Germany as well as peace with which they might rebuild. · Protection for the 10-12 million Germans living in foreign nations. · Alteration of Germany's eastern frontiers to allow the recovery of