Locarno Conference of 1925: the main goals, participants, results. The Rhine Pact

The Locarno Conference was one of the most important diplomatic events in Western European history. On the one hand, it consolidated the existing situation, which was established after the signing of the peace that determined the postwar structure of Europe, and on the other, significantly changed the situation of the parties that took part in it and signed a number of agreements during its work.

The situation in Germany

The Locarno conference was held as a result of the aspiration of the leading Western European countries to come to an agreement on a number of controversial issues regarding territories, borders, trade and armaments after the end of the First World War. The situation on the continent in the first decade was quite tense, despite the fact that the belligerents came to an agreement and established a new political order. Germany, which was among the losers, was in a very difficult situation.

The country was actually disarmed, limited in economy and trade, demilitarized the Rhine zone. Under these conditions, the revanchist sentiments in the country were quite strong: nationalist political forces insisted on revising the conditions of the Versailles peace and withdrawing the state from the disadvantage in which it appeared. Turned out in fact in international isolation, Germany went on rapprochement with the Soviet Union, concluding with the Bolshevik leadership the Rapallo peace treaty. This agreement proved to be beneficial for both sides at the time, as these states almost did not enjoy recognition in the world arena and therefore needed each other.

The situation in Europe

The Locarno Conference was held on the initiative of other Western European powers. Britain was interested in creating a long-standing rival, France, some counterweight on the mainland. The fact is that after the end of the war the latter, as the most affected party, received great benefits and found itself in a better position than its neighbors. In the League of Nations, this state took a leading position, which could not but disturb the other European governments.

Security issue

France, Italy pursued a somewhat different kind of interests. The first took care primarily about the security of its borders. The territory of this state, as already mentioned above, suffered most from the German attack during the war. Now it wanted to preserve the status quo. The Italian government felt constrained by the establishment of a new order, and by its participation in the work of this diplomatic assembly increased its international prestige. Poland and Germany, in fact, found themselves in opposite camps. The first sought to ensure the security of its eastern borders, and the German government, on the contrary, did not exclude the possibility of an armed clash.

Objectives

However, despite the indicated difference in approaches, all participants were united in one way or another by one common feature: this is an anti-Soviet orientation. Many European leaders were concerned about signing an agreement between the Bolshevik leadership and the German government. The Locarno Conference was largely intended to include Germany in the system of European relations and, if possible, to bring discord into its relations with the Soviet authorities. However, the German foreign minister skilfully maneuvered between the two European diplomats, seeking to extract the greatest benefit from the situation. He did not want to finally break with the Soviet government, but at the same time he sought to enlist the support of European countries in order to facilitate the economic and military situation of his state. The main goal of the European bloc was to include Germany in the League of Nations by linking it with such conditions to remove it from cooperation with our country.

Conversation

Work was held from 5 to 16 October. The following countries took part in it: Great Britain, France, Belgium, Poland, Czechoslovakia, Italy and Germany. Before that, the German leadership presented two statements to the European authorities, which were to be read out during the conference. The first item concerned a very painful and controversial issue of responsibility for the outbreak of war. The German government insisted that the international community remove the wording that the German people is the culprit of the war, while affirming that there were other participants and interested parties. The second question concerned the problem of the evacuation of Cologne, but on both points the German leadership was refused.

Anti-Soviet orientation

Poland and Germany, in fact, found themselves in a rather difficult situation: the first because they failed to secure guarantees for their eastern borders, and the second, because they had to maneuver between the two sides. It was required to accept condition 16 of the article of the Charter of the League of Nations, which provided for the implementation of active measures against the aggressor country, the violator of peace. Under this violator, the USSR was unequivocally implied. The German leadership had either to participate directly in the hostilities, either to pass troops through its territory, or, finally, to join the economic blockade. In response, the foreign minister of this country stated that she, being demilitarized, economically disadvantaged, would not be able to fully fulfill its obligations. In response, the ministers objected that even with the current situation, the state could be a full party.

Territorial question

The borders of European countries were the focus of attention of the participating countries. During the work, the French and Belgian delegations managed to secure the preservation of their eastern borders, and the British and Italian governments acted as guarantor. However, the Polish leadership failed to achieve the same success: although it concluded an agreement with the German leadership, it did not achieve any guarantees. As a result, this country found itself in an extremely difficult situation, as it had every reason to fear for its territorial integrity. France, Italy also failed to record the results of the conference as one of their successes. The situation of the former was severely undermined after the German side took part in the negotiations on an equal footing, and was later incorporated into the League of Nations and became a member of its permanent council. The Italian delegation only vyupupila guarantor of one of the agreements. The signed Rhine Pact can be attributed to one of the most significant treaties, since, in addition to guaranteeing the inviolability of the French and Belgian borders, he confirmed the fact of the demilitarization of the zone of the same name.

Results

The conference significantly changed the alignment of forces on the European continent. First of all, this affected the position of Germany, which made significant concessions for itself. She withdrew from the state of international isolation and spoke at the talks as an equal party. Secondly, the French positions were undermined. The UK achieved its goal by opposing it with a new force. The Locarno Conference of 1925 and its results, despite the anti-Soviet orientation, nevertheless temporarily stabilized the situation, but the inevitability of a new war was obvious.