Great Power Diplomacy in the Twentieth Century - Essay Example

? Great Power Diplomacy in the Twentieth Century Your History and Political Science Great Power Diplomacy in the Twentieth Century Introduction The twentieth century saw the genesis of geopolitics and globalization which shaped the future of the world. The struggle between geopolitics and globalization played a vital role in the development of what is now known as The Great Power Diplomacy of the twentieth century. Globalization is a broad term which encompasses whereas aspects related to the opening of the national space for free flow of goods, capital, and ideas. Globalization plays an instrumental role in removing hindrances and promoting the movement of resources between different parts of the world. Moreover, globalization in the twentieth century fueled the development of favorable environmental conditions which inevitably led to the expansion of international trade of goods and manpower services. On the other hand, the geopolitical polices of the twentieth century allowed the establishment of national and imperial control over the process of globalization. Therefore, globalization coupled with effective geopolitical policies shaped the great power diplomacy of the twentieth century.1 The development of great power diplomacy in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century was limited to European countries. The reason for this limitation was due to the centralization of power in Europe. The European countries were and still are in many ways the great powers of the world which promoted the permeation of diplomacy throughout the world. 2 The Second half of the century that followed the Second World War can be legitimately regarded as the great era of balance of power diplomacy in the twentieth century. The balance of diplomacy was essential in order to reduce the increasingly apocalyptic implications another war could have on the stability of the world. Great Britain wanted to take advantage of this time and play an instrumental role in brokering the exact location where the balance of power would lay. However, British dream was threatened from the very beginning due to the rise of two super powers i.e. The United States of America and The Soviet Union. Moreover, Britain did not posses the natural affinity with growing economy and the need for political closeness between previous enemies, which was simply essential for the development of balance of power. 3 I felt the need to briefly discuss the balance of power because it is critically related to diplomacy and it can be safely stated that the mothers of Great Power Diplomacy of the twentieth century were the need for globalization, geopolitical policies, and balance of power. I would now throw light over the real meaning of the word diplomacy. Diplomacy can have different meanings in different countries around the world because the dimensions of the word are determined and influenced by political policies of a country. In general, the meaning of diplomacy is a tool for the promotion and implementation of foreign policies of a country. The most important institute in modern society is, indeed, diplomacy. The process of Diplomacy comprises numerous underlying steps including gathering information, clarifying intentions, and engendering good will. All such processes require stability and peace within a nation. The essence of diplomacy is peace and stability within a society. Therefore, one of the numerous obstacles faced by the great power diplomacy in the nineteenth century had been the political and economical instability of the world. Thus, in the twentieth century, it became necessary for the great powers to establish peace in order to diffuse the growing tension within the European countries. The diffusion of anger and tension was necessary to eliminate the prospect of another war. I believe that the single most important event which significantly changed the Great Power Diplomacy in the twentieth century were the Locarno Treaties of 1925. The treaties promoted the development of international diplomacy in countless ways; the important ones have been extensively discussed below. The Locarno Era The American willingness to resort using the financial power for the purpose of promoting stability across the continent became evident through the introduction of The Dawes Plan. The Dawes Plan concentrated on promoting stability and equality by undertaking the task of establishing security structure for Europe. The establishment of the security structure was focused in talks between London and Paris which took place in 1924-1925. The centerpiece of the security structure was a France-German detente. One of the central themes of the structure was abolishing the French occupation of 1923 and loosening its control over German Sovereignty. Moreover, Germany was also expected to completely adhere to the Dawes Plan and fulfill its obligation. Furthermore, under the obligation of the Dawes plan Germany would be integrated into the States system. Britain was expected to play an instrumental role as an honest broker and was also expected to present France with a pledge for security. In October 1925, the outlines of the European security structure were transformed into concrete agreements at a small Swiss Resort of Locarno. The Rhineland Pact was the most important of all the concrete agreements and was signed by France, Germany, and Belgium. The Rhineland Pact was guaranteed by Britain and Italy. The tremendous importance associated with the Rhineland Pact was due to that fact that it provided affirmation for the inviolability of Belgo-German and Franco-German frontiers. Furthermore, the Pact also had clauses which were designed to protect Rhineland from demilitarization. Another important aspect of the Pact was that it put an end to arbitration treaties which had been signed between Germany and France, Poland, Czechoslovakia, and Belgium. Through the Pact, France presented its Central and East European allies with new promises of security. In International Affairs of the Twentieth Century, the Locarno Treaties mediated a turning point. A British statesman made a statement which mirrors the important role Locarno Treaties played in influencing the great power diplomacy of the twentieth century, he said, “the Great War ended in November 1918. The Great Peace did not begin until October 1925”. The makers of the Locarno Treaties were rewarded with the Nobel Prize. The Nobel Prize was shared by Briand, Stresemann, and Austen Chamberlain (new British Foreign Secretary). Some opponent Historians of “Spirit of Locarno “or “Locarno Honeymoon” regard it as not anything more than an illusion of inter-war International Security. However, I do not believe this because in my opinion the Locarno Treaties played an instrumental role in influencing the great power diplomacy of the twentieth century, thus they certainly were not an illusion. The Locarno treaties succeeded despite facing numerous hindrances in the form of German resilience to overthrow the Paris peace settlement. The Locarno Treaties were the first step towards the development of distant and difficult foreign policies. 4 Locarno Treaties and Great Power Diplomacy The Locarno treaties were one of the Pacts of Collaborative Security enforced by the European powers during the early twentieth century in order to create stability and peace in the continent which would inevitably promote the development of diplomatic policies. In addition, the collaborative security treaties were also meant to help eliminate the weaknesses of the League of Nations in mediating peace settlements. The Locarno Treaties helped promote the development of great power diplomacy in numerous ways. The Treaties recognized the inherent tensions in the Treaty of Versailles and thus provided the League of Nations a way to prevent the precipitation of peace disturbance. The treaties provided the League of Nations with a security and stability promoting structure which not only helped maintain peace but also paved the way for the development of diplomacy in Europe. The presence of peace and stability within a continent is necessary for the development and promotion of effective foreign relations. The Treaty of Mutual Guarantee involved the collaboration of France, Germany, Britain, Italy, and Belgium. The treaty promoted the development of diplomacy by guaranteeing borders between France, Germany, and Belgium. Therefore, by establishing frontiers, the treaty inevitably promoted stability which ultimately played an essential role in providing the favorable conditions required for the genesis and success of foreign relations. Through the Treaty of Mutual Guarantee, France and Belgium felt secure and for the first time since 1870. On the other hand, the treaty also provided reconciliation to Germany in regard with the clauses of the Treaty of Versailles about which the Western Europe had been concerned about. As a result of German reconciliation and Franco-Belgium security, Stresemann and his counterparts could foster the scope of a great deal of positive diplomacy. The rehabilitation of Germany was fueled by the Locarno Treaties and the rehabilitation promoted the nation’s full membership in the League of Nations. Therefore, a year later the Locarno treaties paved the way to Germany’s full membership. The Collaborative Security program with its treaties like Locarno treaties was able to diffuse tension in Europe and promote a feeling of trust and tranquility between European countries. One of the major contributions of Locarno treaties to the development of diplomacy of the great powers was its flexibility. The locarno treaties were flexible because they bestowed individual power to the European countries and enabled them to contribute their individual powers for the development of international diplomacy. The Collaborative Security allowed United States of America to play a central role Washington and London naval conferences of 1922 and 1930 despite the fact that the United States had withdrawn from the League of Nations in 1920. Churchill regards Locarno Treaties as a friendly feeling and once stated. “A friendly feeling existed towards Germany following upon our Treaty of Locarno.” According to Austen Chamberlain the Treaty was “the real dividing line between the years of war and the years of peace”. 5 The Locarno Treaties played a silent yet prominent role in developing European Diplomacy. One of the major contributions of the treaty was that it filled the gaps created by the defects of the Treaty of Versailles. 6 Germany, due to the introduction of Locarno treaties received the opportunity to rejoin the circle of European Great Powers. The sense of regained superiority played an important role in diffusing the tension within Germany. The diffusion of tension in turn played a pivotal role in developing the principles of international diplomacy. Germany’s membership in to the League of Nations fueled the culmination of the strategy which Stresemann had inaugurated back in 1923. The political detente of the Locarno Pact was a result of the economic detente opened by the Dawes Plan. Therefore, the best outcome of Locarno Pact was the fact hat it paved the way for Germany’s return to a position on internation influence which in the long run was one of the contributing factors in the development of true diplomacy in the twentieth century. 7 The Pact provided the beginning of quiet yet stable basis for diplomacy in numerous ways. Firstly, the Pact succeeded in providing French territory with the promised security. Secondly, the Pact managed the reconciliation of France and Germany without compromising the interests of British. Therefore, the Pact succeeded in making all the concerned nations happy which promoted a sense of security and stability across the continent.8 Conclusion The essential political activity of Diplomacy was critically important during the twentieth century. Diplomacy is a major source of power, if used skillfully then it can very well enable the states to secure their objective of foreign policy without the use of power. The attainment of power to secure foreign policy objectives was the desire of each of the great powers of Europe. Diplomacy allowed the Great Powers to concentrate power and secure international objectives without resorting to the use of armed forces. One of the most essential requirements of diplomacy is effective communication between the officials involved in the process of drawing up foreign policies. In turn the essential requirement for communication between officials is an environment of peace. Therefore, the establishment of peace and security are prerequisites for he establishment of truw diplomacy. 9 The convergence of several factors occurring between November 1924 and March 1925 led to the genesis of the Locarno Pact of October 1925. The events of 1924 and 1925 raised Britain to the title to diplomatic pivot of Europe. The rise of Britain to the diplomatic pedestal coincided with the last months of Sir Eyre Crowe’s career as a permanent under secretary in the Foreign Office. At the same time, Austen Chamberlain was beginning his tenure as a Foreign Secretary. After more than a decade in the doldrums, the resurgence of Foreign Office influence was catalyzed by the above mentioned events. A coherent diplomatic strategy was maintained between the years 1919 and 1925. The beginning of the year 1925 in Europe saw a palpable atmosphere of fear. The dominant sentiment in Europe at this time was the warning given by Austen Chamberlain to the Committee of Imperial Defense. Therefore, it was evident that another war was about to occur unless Britain could intervene and provide security to Europe. The official thinking was literally permeated with this feeling of fear and therefore the introduction of a set of peace treaties in the Locarno Pact had become essential for Europe’s stability and integrity. The situation of Europe in 1925 is briefly described by these spectacularly true lines of Harold Nicolson, “One half of Europe is dangerously angry; the other half is dangerously afraid. The friction between these inflamed emotions is incessant, acts as some septic irritant, poisoning the wounds which are yet unhealed.” 10 The permeated fear had begun its provocation and coupled with armaments, secret alliances, and ill treatment of minorities had succeeded in throwing Europe into a floundering sea of fear and viciousness.11 These events were fueling hatred and desire to take revenge within the Europe. This was the time when the Locarno Pact was introduced which not only promoted the feeling of security within the European powers but also promoted the establishment of a great deal of positive international diplomacy.12 The Pact provided the states with individual power and allowed them to exercise the contribution of their individual power in the League of Nations for the promotion of international diplomacy. On the other hand, the Locarno pact effectively diffused not only the Franco-German tension but also extinguished the fire of anger and fear across Europe. The Treaty resulted in establishing peace and tranquility within Europe by drawing up a Security structure. The security structure was very effective and promoted the rehabilitation and reconciliation of the Germany. The rehabilitation empowered Germany with stability and allowed the nation to entertain full membership in the League of Nations. On the other hand, The Locarno Pact diffused the impending disaster and eliminated fear in France by filling in the gaps created by the Treaty of Versailles. Therefore, the locarno treaties were one of the most important events that fueled the true establishment of the great power diplomacy in the twentieth century through the development of peace and stability. Peace and stability ultimately paved way for impregnation of Europe with true Diplomacy. References: Berridge, Geoff. 1995. Diplomacy: theory and practice. London: Prentice Hall/Harvester Wheatsheaf. Best, Antony. 2008. International history of the twentieth century and beyond. London ; New York, N.Y.: Routledge. Blouet, Brian W. 2001. Geopolitics and globalization in the twentieth century. London: Reaktion Books. Dockrill, Michael L., and B. J. C. McKercher. 2002. Diplomacy and world power: studies in British foreign policy, 1890-1951. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 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