International Relations 1918-39 - International Agreements in the 1920s

Question 1

what was the dawes plan?

Answer 1

an agreement signed in 1924 between the USA and weimar germany which helped to solve germany’s problems in paying reparations after germany’s hyperinflation

Question 2

what was agreed in the dawes plan?

Answer 2

• a temporary reduction in annual reparations repayments to £50 million
• US banks and businesses offered loans worth 800million marks to german businesses
• the german state bank was reorganised and supervised

Question 3

what were the benefits of the dawes plan?

Answer 3

• american loans helped industrial output to double between 1923 and 1928. employment, income tax and trade increased as a result
• french and belgians left the ruhr as they were promised reparations
• the weimar republic became politically stronger as the economy improved

Question 4

what were the criticisms of the dawes plan?

Answer 4

• extreme parties on both sides were angry that germany was still paying reparations
• Germany could be economically damaged if weimar loans were recalled as the weimar economy was dependant on US loans

Question 5

what was the locarno pact?

Answer 5

a treaty signed in 1925 intended to improve the relationship between Germany, Belgium and France by protecting their borders

Question 6

who signed the locarno pact?

Answer 6

germany, belgium, france, britan and italy

Question 7

why was the locarno pact signed?

Answer 7

it was intended to imrpove the relationship between Germany and its neighbours
Stresemann (german leader) wanted to prevent germany from being invaded again after the french and belgian occupation of the ruhr in 1923

Question 8

what were the terms of the locarno pact?

Answer 8

• germany accepted its new borders with france and belgium drawn up in the treaty of versailles. france and belgium pledged peace with Germany
• if there was a border dispute between Germany, France or beligum, britan and Italy would step in to help solve the problems
• the countries agreed to discuss germanys membership of the league of nations
• it was agreed that the rhineland would be demilitarised permanently

Question 9

what were the benefits of the locarno pact?

Answer 9

• war was less likely because the relationships improved
• Germany was treated like an equal
• as the locarno pact has been negociated between Germany and other countries it was more acceptable to the public
• paved the way for Germany to join the league of nations

Question 10

what were the criticisms of the locarno pact?

Answer 10

extremist political parties hated it because it confirmed the borders laid out in the treaty of versailles

Question 11

what was significant about the locarno pact to the league of nations?

Answer 11

• the pact paved the way for Germany to join the League
• it can be considered a failure of the League. The organisation should have led international peace agreements but it wasn’t involved in this pact.

Question 12

what was the kellogg-briand pact?

Answer 12

signed in 1928, a promise by countries who signed it not to use war to achieve their foreign policy aims

Question 13

who signed the kellogg-briand pact?

Answer 13

an agreement between 62 nations organised by the US and french foreign ministers

Question 14

what were the benefits of the kellogg-briand pact for Germany?

Answer 14

• showed that moderate political parties could build germanys international strength
• improved the weimar republics reputation
• Germany was now included as one of the worlds main powers`

Question 15

what were the criticisms of the kellogg-briand pact?

Answer 15

it didn’t remove the restrictions placed on germany by the treaty of versailles

Question 16

what was the young plan?

Answer 16

a deal that aimed to help germany pay their reparations in 1929

Question 17

who created the young plan?

Answer 17

owen young, an american banker, negociated the young plan with streseman and germany

Question 18

what was agreed in the young plan?

Answer 18

germany would have 59 years to pay the reparations bill, which was reduced from £6.6 billion to £2 billion

Question 19

what were the criticisms of the young plan?

Answer 19

• the reparations payment was still high at £50 million per year
• the extreme political parties were angry that reparations weren’t cancelled

Question 20

what were the benefits of the young plan?

Answer 20

• the lower reparations payments meant the weimar government could reduce taxes, giving german people more money to spend
• helped them recover economically
• increased political condifence