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

How successful was the peace policy of  Lloyd George Coalition's foreign policy 1918-1922?

Successes

• Treaty of Versailles limited Germany's army and navy power.
• Illiminated Germany as a naval threat of Britain
  • However, these limitations were violated at the beginning of WW2.

Limitations

• Peace polcy distracted the government from domestic issues.
• Treaty of Versailles was a compromise between US Britain & France; no countries were completely happy with the result.
• The Treaty of Versailles created nationalist anger in Germany, which facillitated the rise of fascism and Hitler.
• Economic depression created in Germany; interrupted trade Britain had with Germany.
• Treaty of Versailles wasn't harsh enough and didn't completely weaken Germany.
  • They managed to build up enough froce for a second war.
• Treaty of Versailles made a second war more likely.

Limitations

• League of Nations was ineffective; couldn't enforce authority.
• League of Nations meant Britain couldn't have independant foreign policy.
• League of Nations meant Britain had to weaken its army.
  • To avoid responsibility of peacekeeping in Europe.
  • Because it gave a false sense of security that it would prevent war.
• League of Nations did not achieve its aim of preventing more wars.
• League of Nations was not backed by its proposers; the US.
• League of Nations lacked support from many big powers; Germany, Japan, US.

Overall  the Lloyd George Coalition's peace polity (Treaty of Versailles, League of Nations) was highly ineffective at preventing war and weakened Britain's military, economy, and political freedom over fpreign policy.

• Britain was in a very strong psoition after the war.
  • Reflected by the vote of confidence for coalition candidates in the election. 
• Britain gained the most for the least loss. 
  • Out of the 5 great powers during the war.
  • Losses of manpower were substantially lower.
• Britain's empire grew
  • Gains in the Middle East, Africa and the Pacific
• War showed the Empire's co-operation in support of Britain.
  • 15,000 from West Indies
    • 10,000 from Jamaica
  • 140,000 Indians
  • 180,000 Africans
  •  10% of the 620,00 Canadians who enlisted were killed.
• Troops from the empire had fought loyally.
  • 10% of Canadian soldiers were killed.

• Britain had an imperial war cabinet.
• Britain was no longer threatened by German imperialism or the German navy.
  • Navy had overcome its enemies.
• British industry had supplied huge amounts of war materiel.
• The army had grown to an unprecedented size.
  • Had shown great courage and valour.
  • 2.6 million volunteers when conscription was introduced
  • Firther 2.3 million conscripted before end of the war.
  • End of 1918: army reached peak of 4 million men.
• There had been no serious mutinies.
  • Series of great victories.
• Showed the power of British alliances.
  • Entry of the USA showed the power of an anglo-saxon alliance.
• Britain had mobilised its resources, innovated and got its whole population behind the war effort.
• Remarkably little defeatism or opposition.

Britain and its empire had emerged united and victorious.

• A very severe test of its national will and leadership

The Treaty of Versailles

• The end of the war meant Lloyd George had to focus on foreign policy.
• This distracted him from domestic issues.
• Played a key role in the peace conference at Versailles.
• Negotiated Treaty of Versailles.
  • Hoped to achieve lasting peace.
  • Wanted to make Germany pay for the war, as he was voted in on this promise.
  • Lead to Germany's military forces being weakened.
• Quashed threat Germany navy & imperialism.
• Tried to maintain co-operation between the nations by a series of conferences afterwards.

The Treaty of Versailles and ending the war distracted Lloyd George from domestic policy.

Foreign Policy Pressures

When pressing for the terms of the Treaty of Versailles, Lloyd George had to consider a number of pressures...

• Pressure to Punish Germany
  • From Coalition MPs
  • From British Press 
  • Pressure to press for harsh punishment of Germany at Versailles.
• Government of Germany had collapsed.
  • New regime was struggling to form a liberal democracy.
  • A punishment too harsh might lead to a fascist/communist regime forming.
    • Would become an even bigger threat.
• Damaging trade with Germany.
  • Punitive measures would make Germany poor and close up trade.
  • Might make it difficult for Britain to resume trading with Germany.

• Woodrow Wilson'sarmstice
  • Wilson had offered an armstice on liberal terms.
    • Wanted to peacefully end the war on fair terms.
  • Germany had agreed to this armistice.
• Sacrifice of American lives
  • Wilson didn't want American lives to have been lost just for Britain & France to grow their empires.
• Potential threat of imperial France
  • Terms couldn't be too harsh in France's favour.
  • If France gained the Rhineland, it would become another colonial rival of Britain.
  • A France too powerful might disturb the power balance of Europe again.
  • Would replace the threat of imperial Germany with the threat of imperial France.
    • Problems are not solved.

• Restrictions placed on the size of Germany's army.
  • Limited to 100,000.
• Restrictions were put on the future German fleet
  • Limited to 6 battleships
  • No submarines
  • Most of the old fleet was destroyed
  • This meant the growth of the German navy was no longer a problem.
• Germany's colonies were distributed between the victors.
  • Although, not rich or significant.
  • Ruled under mandates from the League of Nations
    • In the interests of the people who lived there
• Britain gained...
  • Part of Togoland and the Cameroons
  • German East Africa
  • German South West Africa
  • Iraq
  • Transjordan
  • Palestine
  • German Pacific islands south of the Equator

• Britain had to quell unrest in its new territories.
  • Unrest in Iraq
  • Britain had to use force against rebels.
• Involvment in the politics of new territories.
  • Agreed that Palestine would be the home of the Jewish people.
  • Tensions rapidly increased.
• Encouraged Japanese nationalism, imperialism & expansion.
  • Caused by distribution of German territories.
  • Japan had aquired German Kiaochow and Pacific Islands north of the Equator.
  • Encouraged imperialism & expansion.
  • Britain had to defend East Asian territories as a result.
• New colonies = greater costs for defence.
  • African colonies increased the costs of administration and defence.
• New colonies = demand for greated military presence.
  • Government had to become more imperial.
  • More resources had to be devoted to defence & imperial causes.

Problems with the Treaty of Versailles

• Compromise with other Leaders.
  • France was given some concessions but not everything it wanted.
    • They wanted Germany to be totally weakened.
      • This was not fulfilled.
  • Italy and Japan failed to get everything 
• Resentment and unrest in Germany.
  • Huge resentment towards the harsh terms and punishments.
  • Bread the conditions for Hitler's rise to power.
    • Thus, the conditions for a fascist dictatorship.
• Germany was not totally weakened.
  • Treated badly enough to build up nationalist resentment.
  • Facilitated the rise of fascism and Hitler.
  • Made another war likely.
  • Not weak enough to erradicate the chance of another war.

The League of Nations was weak

• Proposed by US but didn't have US support.
• Had no real power to enforce authoriuty.
• Needed unanimity for decisions to be made.
• Absence of major powers - Germany, JApan, US.
• Could not me relied upon to keep peace.
• British policy had to consider the League but could not actually rely on it to keep peace.
• LoN wasn't strong enough to prevent war
  • Had no army
  • Only weapon was imporsing sanctions on aggressive powers.
    • Was ineffective.
• Led Britain to believe it didn't need to maintain strong defences.
  • Weakened Britain

Major victor = Britain major part of the League.

• Unfavourable
• Prevented Britain from persuing independant foreign policy.
• Committed Britain to supporting the League.
  • Britain didn't want to be responsibile for peacekeeping in Europe.
    • Would have to disarm fast to avoid this.

Lloyd George's concessions & relationship with France started to make him unpopular.

The hard line attitude to Germany had made France unpopular in Britain.

• Attended international conferences.
• Socialising with French leaders.
• He hadn't dissuaded France in pressing for reparation payments from Germany.
  • Would hinder Germany's economic recovery.
    • Would close up the market for British exports in Germany.