Gustav Stresemann and the policy of fulfillment

Key events in foreign policy 1924 - 30

1924 - Dawes Plan

1925 - Locarno Pact

1926 - Germany is admitted to the League of Nations

1926 - Treaty of Berlin with the USSR

1926 - Allies withdraw from zone 1 of the Rhineland 

1929 - Young Plan

1929 - Allies withdraw from zone 2 of the Rhineland

1930 - Allies withdraw from zone 3 of the Rhineland.

Gustav Stresemann continued the policy of fulfilment, he did not start it.

Pragmatic approach. Believed that negotiations would lead to changes- not confrontations. 

He knew that the German army was too weak.

He also believed that negotiations would benefit Germany by attracting investments.

He knew that French suspicion was the biggest obstacle to revising TOV. He was keen to reassure the allies that Germany had peaceful intentions.

Stresemann had 6 key actions that allowed him to improve Germany's international position:

1. Reparations changes

2. Locarno Pact 1925

3. League of nations 1926

4. Treaty of Berlin 1926

5. Changes to Allied occupation 

6. Disarmament 

Changes to reparations:

Stresemann had discussions with Charles Dawes, as part of his Reparations Commission.

As a result of this, Germany re-organised reparation payments and was also able to secure an 800 million marks loan from the USA. Allied troops also left the Ruhr.

There were still problems with Germany paying reparations. 

In 1929, Owen Young, an American industrialist, was asked to draft another reparations plan. Young was part of the 1924 Dawes Commission.

Young submitted a report in 1929 and it was implemented in 1930.

Young’s deal greatly reducedthe reparations to be paid (from 132 billion marks to 37 billion marks). In addition, payment was to take 58 years, rather than 42 years.

For the first time, Germany was allowed to participatein these discussions, which also saw Allied troops withdrawin 1930 (five years early).

Treaties of Locarno 1925:

In October 1925, the major European powers met in the Swiss town of Locarnoto discuss bordersin Europe.

The aims were to agree on the borders of new states in Central and Eastern Europe, and to improve relations with Germany.

The discussions led to the Rhineland Pact and the Arbitration Treaties.

Under the Rhineland Pact:

- The signatories agreed to respect the western borders outlined in TOV. Countries that broke this could be attacked.

- Germany agreed to keep its troops out of the Rhineland.

Under Arbitration Treaties:

- They agreed that any disputes would be settled by a conciliation committee that would mediate discussions.

- Germany agreed to arbitration about land in the East (Poland and Czechoslovakia):

(P) City of Danzig

(P) Polish Corridor

(C) Sudetenland

In diplomatic terms, Locarno was seen as beneficial to Germany. By accepting their Western borders it left open the chance that they could gain back land in the east.

Polandin particular was furious and felt that France and Britain had ‘abandoned the east to keep peace in…