How Effective Was Foreign Policy of the Lloyd George Coalition 1918-1922? (British Politics 1918-1929)(Britain 1900-1951)

Lloyd George's foreign policy was largely ineffective and damaged his reputation as a leader.

• Chanak Crisis saw him going against popular opinion in his government and in Britain.
  • Made him an unpopular leader.
• Forced agreements at the Washington Conference damaged Britain's relationship with Japan, replaced the Anglo-Japanese agreement 1902, which was more secure than its replacement, and showed Britain's weakness to American demands.
• Treaty of Versailles facillitated the rise of Japanese imperialism; had been negotiated by Lloyd George.
  • Had a stronger deterrant than the League of NAtions been organised, this could potentially have been quashed.

Overall, Lloyd George's foriegn policy...

• Made him unpopular.
• Made Britain look weak.
• Damaged Britains's better defence treaties and their relationships with other nations.

• War saw rise of Turkish nationalism.
• Treaty of Sevres 1920
  • Gave Greece land in Turkey
    • The area around Smyrna
• Lloyd George favoured Turkey.
  • Had friendship with Greek Prime Minister.
• Conservative allies don't want war with Turkey.

• 1922 massacre
  • Nationalists massacred the Greeks & enter the dimilitarised zone in Gillipoli.
  • British forces at Chanak ordered to prevent Turkish forces militarising the zone.
• Creates the possibility of a major war between Britain and Turkey.
  • Very unpopular with the public and the Conservative party.
• Lloyd George determined to stand up for the treaties.
• 1922: Reaction against the treaties; no one wants them to provoke Turkish war.

Lloyd Geiorge's action ction against Turkey was extremely unpopular.

• Chanak Crisis: Lloyd George wants to defend treaties, contrary to opposition to Turkish war from Conservative allies, and disapproval of the treaties by the public.

Lloyd George's position is very unpopular.

• Lloyd George could not overcome opposition among his MPs.
  • Weakens his authority.

Chanak Crisis was one of the reasons for Lloyd George's fall as it made him unpopular.

• Britain forced to abandon 1902 Anglo-Japanese Alliance 1902 by US.
• Britain forced to join US-dominated agreement at Washington COnference.
  • All powers must reduce naval power in Pacific.
  • Ratio of naval power must be 5:5:3 USA:Britain:Japan.
• Japan is humilliated by agreement.
  • Damages relations with Japan.
• Treaty showed Britain's weakness when faced with US demands
• Was not as secure a basis for British defence as the old alliance with Japan.

• Rise of Japanese imperialism due to German colonial redistrubution in Treaty of Versailles.
  • Partially a mistake of Lloyd Gorge, who negotiated the treaty.
  • Britain had to increase naval power in East Asia as a result.

• Overthrow of the Tsar was a major concern.
  • Provisional Government continued the war & were unpopular for it (threat of losing Russian support).
• Lenin withrew frpm the war - a problem.
• Pressure to intervene against the Bolsheviks after Russian royal family executed.
  • Churchill advocated for intervening.
  • Others in the cabinet more sceptical
• Forces were sent to Murmansk
• Obvious Communists would win - supporting counter-revolution became unpopular in Britain. 
• Lloyd George withdrew from Russia.
• Turning point: refusal of London dockers to load a ship with arms for Poland.
  • Shows strength of opposition to supporting counter-revolutiopn in Britain.
• Worries of costs, logistical problems and war wearniness.
• Action against the Bolsheviks soured relations with communist russia for years.
• Little was achieved by a half hearted intervention.

Lloyd George's government had briefly supported the counter-revolution in Russia.

• Was unpopular at home.
  • Obvious revolutionaries would win.
  • Worries of costs, logicstical priblems & war-weariness.
• Disapproval of counter-revolution support in Britain was strong.
  • Dockers refused to ship arms to Polans.

By persuing unpopular foreiogn policy again, Lloyd George became even more unpopular.

• Support of the counter-revolution soured relations between Britain and Communist Russia for years afterwards.
• The support achieved very little, and the intervention was only breif.
  • Was not worth all the negative effects.

Positives

• Concieding to US could be seen as insightful.
  • US had become a major pacific power.
• Britain got most of what it wanted from the settlements
• Lloyd George was realistic in seeing that full scale involvement in Russia was impracticable.
• Conservatives feared the spread of communism.
  • He gave recognition to these fears by supporting the counter revolution.
• Britain was still a major world power, despite the foreign policy falioures.
• Lloyd George's policy meant Britain played a leading role in world affairs.
• Lloyd George made Britain a major player in the League of Nation.