1920s Foreign Policy

Summary

Britain was readjusting its position in Europe and in the World. The victory in WWI was a pyrrhic victory, the great irony with Britain in the post-war period was that as a result of the treaty of Versailles and as a reduction of German colonies the British Empire size in 1925 was at its zenith but this of course brought with it increased challenges increased challenges for the government in the 1920s - how to protect the largest empire on earth with dwindling resources. The consistent theme with British Foreign Policy was one of collective security based on the principles and actions of the League of Nations. There was a real sense of hope and confidence that the League of Nations would form the basis for future international harmony despite the fact that America refused to support or join it. A second consistent theme in the 1920s and the early 1930s was to disarmament, this was enshrined in the Washington Treaty of 1922, the Kellogg-Briand Pact of 1928 and a World Disarmament Conference in 1932-34. However, without a doubt the key episode of the 1920s which marked a watershed in world affairs was the world economic crisis in 1929. It had a profound impact on foreign policies and exacerbated the underlying problems in Britain and in Europe.

Support for Pacifism

After 1918, loathing of war deep-rooted and materially affected British governmental policies. The want to avoid another war, world-wide or other, was a key sentiment among both the public and the politicians. In the 1933 East Fulham by-election, a Conservative candidate, who…