Thesis Statement
Advice
Content
Perspectives
November 2019
To what extent was German foreign policy successful between 1919 and 1933?
TS – Germany’s foreign policies were successful because by 1929 the country was internationally accepted. She had signed several international agreements (Locarno, Kellogg-Briand) and become a member of the League of Nations in 1926.
The debate about this topic is how much the Weimar Republic was responsible for the rise of the Nazis and the Second World War.
Successes – Treaty of Rapallo 1922, Dawes Plan 1924, Ruhr Crisis ended, Locarno Pact 1925, League of Nations 1926, Treaty of Berlin 1926, Kellogg-Briand Pact 1928 and Young Plan 1929. Also, one could add Gustav Stresemann and the ‘Golden Age’ of the Weimar Republic.
However, the once-proud military was still weak (despite secret deals with the USSR) and the Rhineland was still demilitarised. These severely hamstrung their ability in foreign affairs. The Danzig corridor and separation of Germany continued to exist and this ensured relations with Poland remained poor. Furthermore, when the world suffered the Great Depression the failure of the Weimar Republic in ‘negotiating’ the Treaty of Versailles was used repeatedly by the Right to gain support.
David T. Murphy argues that German public opinion was generally against all the foreign policy decisions of the Weimar Republic. The reason was that the acceptance of the Treaty of Versailles remained in place despite the amendments made.
Evaluate the importance of the wartime alliance (1941–1945) to the defeat of the Axis powers in Europe.
May 2019
“In the 1920s, the League of Nations was successful in Europe.” Discuss.
Examine the contribution of economic and strategic factors to the Allied victory in 1945.
November 2018
Discuss the reasons for, and the results of, the policy of appeasement.
“The Second World War had a devastating impact on the civilian population.” Discuss with reference to any two European countries.
May 2018
“The Treaty of Versailles was a harsh and unfair peace.” To what extent do you agree with this statement?
Discuss the reasons for the failure of the League of Nations by 1938.
November 2017
“Italian foreign policy was inconsistent in the period between 1922 and 1940.” To what extent do you agree with this statement?
Evaluate the reasons for the defeat of the Axis powers in Europe in the Second World War.
May 2017
“The policy of appeasement was necessary because, by the mid-1930s, collective security had failed.” To what extent do you agree with this statement?
Examine the impact of the Second World War on the civilian populations of two countries in Europe between 1939 and 1945.
Previous Examination Questions
1. Fundamental differences between the Radicals and the Socialists over economic policies were the main reason for the failure of the Cartel des Gauches government in 1926. To what extent do you agree with this statement?
TS – The main reason why the Cartel des Gauches did not solve the economic problems of France was because the country could not address the consequences of the First World War. The war debts, costs of rebuilding and high inflation were far greater problems than the differences between the Radicals and Socialists.
Avoid the trap within the content of the statement – you do not need to have a detailed knowledge of the each party to write a good answer. Focus on the decade as a whole to explain why France could not solve all of its problems. Examine the social, economic and political impact of the First World War on France.
2. Discuss the state of the French economy during the 1920s and the extent to which it had recovered by 1929.
TS – The French economy had recovered by 1926 and went through three years of prosperity. However, this recovery masked underlying problems with inflation and a continued lack of opportunity for the majority of workers and farmers.
3. Examine the divisions in France during the 1920s and extent to which they contributed to political instability.
TS – The economic problems such as the cost of rebuilding France and inflation after the First World War led to a lack of consensus and political instability in the 1920s.
Economic divisions – post-war France, the rebuilding of the country, the value of the franc. The working class did not benefit from economic growth, the 1914 wages only returning in 1929. Consequently, there was support for the Left, especially after the successful 1917 Bolshevik Revolution. But there was support for the Right because of Mussolini’s success and fear of the Left. As a result, between 1919 and 1940, France had forty different governments and twenty prime ministers.
In addition to the economic problems in the country, politically there was the foreign disaster of the Ruhr. This affected the support for the Bloc National in the 1924 election and led to their defeat.
BUT – three years of prosperity in the late-1920s, treaties such as Kellogg-Briand, Locarno Pact signed so there was some political consensus. Moreover, the Third Republic and the electoral system of democracy survived – it did not in 1940 with the authoritarian Vichy government coming to power.
Robert Paxton would agree that there was political division in 1920s France because there was no agreement on raising taxes.
William Shirer agrees with this although puts most of the blame on the Left. They were in power in 1924 with a large majority but did not pass tough legislation for fear of confrontation.
4. Evaluate the significance of social issues in France during the 1920s, such as low birth rate, the position of women, and the widening gulf between the social elite and other sections of French society.
TS – France became more divisive during the 1920s, leading to even further in the 1930s with the rise of the Left and Right. The main policies of France were to rebuild the economy, restore global markets and achieve security from Germany. None were really achieved and these failures only added to the feeling amongst the workers and poor that the elite were those responsible.
5. To what extent was French culture during the 1920s influenced by the experiences of the First World War?
TS – French culture in the 1920s, or Les Annees Folles, was influenced by the First World War in their art (surrealism) but more so from the United States because of their domination of cinema and growing economy.
6. Why was the League of Nations founded in 1920?
7. Compare and contrast the economic problems faced by two European countries between 1919 and 1939.
8. Compare and contrast the foreign policies of Hitler and Mussolini.
9. What were the aims and achievements of Stalin’s foreign policy between 1928 and 1941?
12. Discuss the impact of political polarization during the Second Spanish Republic.
13. “In the 1920s, the League of Nations was successful in Europe.” Discuss.
14. Examine the contribution of economic and strategic factors to the Allied victory in 1945.
15. Discuss the reasons for, and the results of, the policy of appeasement.“