Marks presents problems within the League and the lack of strong, realistic, and solid European diplomacy which caused weak international agreements that fueled the illusion of peace and clouded the vision of Europeans.
The first argument is that the illusion of peace was heightened by the actions of the League of Nations. Greece’s unwarranted invasion of Bulgaria and Bulgaria’s call for help initiated Briand to call an emergency session. The unanimity of the major powers on the course of action, their energetic action with their threats of force, weakness of the Greek Regime, and the fact they were small states susceptible to the pressure of the Great powers made this situation easy for the League to handle peacefully with international diplomacy. …show more content…
Marks notes that under Article 4 of the League Covenant Germany could not be granted a permanent seat without objection from the other powers such as Spain, Brazil, and China to name a few. Marks asserts that the “Locarno tea parties” undermined the League’s capabilities as an international arbiter of peace. The solution reached was that 4 major powers would occupy the permanent seat, six to nine semi-permanent seats with elections. Marks presented the complexities within the league and how Germany’s entrance showed how France and Britain did nothing to help the League it, and preferred traditional diplomacy. Marks also demonstrates how the larger and more powerful states of the League tended to rule in their own favor, when dealing with issues that would impact them. Marks also points out that the League was a status quo institution and they admitted a revisionist power in …show more content…
Hypocritically, Briand was embroiled in private meetings with Stresemann in order to settle all differences between France and Germany. Marks argues Stresemann was using France’s financial crisis to purchase Germany’s freedom. In the end the meetings at Thoiry reached no conclusion since the franc was stabilized through fiscal conservatism. Marks finished this episode with the illusion of peace still going and the spirit of Locarno was alive. Another example of the illusion of peace being heightened is found with the establishment of the steel cartel. This cartel composed of three central powers, its neighbors, and major continental steel companies set a limit to steel production in order to raise prices and make a bigger profit. The steel cartel considered the formation of a European economic union but barriers between 30 states and customs prevented this from
The first argument is that the illusion of peace was heightened by the actions of the League of Nations. Greece’s unwarranted invasion of Bulgaria and Bulgaria’s call for help initiated Briand to call an emergency session. The unanimity of the major powers on the course of action, their energetic action with their threats of force, weakness of the Greek Regime, and the fact they were small states susceptible to the pressure of the Great powers made this situation easy for the League to handle peacefully with international diplomacy. …show more content…
Marks notes that under Article 4 of the League Covenant Germany could not be granted a permanent seat without objection from the other powers such as Spain, Brazil, and China to name a few. Marks asserts that the “Locarno tea parties” undermined the League’s capabilities as an international arbiter of peace. The solution reached was that 4 major powers would occupy the permanent seat, six to nine semi-permanent seats with elections. Marks presented the complexities within the league and how Germany’s entrance showed how France and Britain did nothing to help the League it, and preferred traditional diplomacy. Marks also demonstrates how the larger and more powerful states of the League tended to rule in their own favor, when dealing with issues that would impact them. Marks also points out that the League was a status quo institution and they admitted a revisionist power in …show more content…
Hypocritically, Briand was embroiled in private meetings with Stresemann in order to settle all differences between France and Germany. Marks argues Stresemann was using France’s financial crisis to purchase Germany’s freedom. In the end the meetings at Thoiry reached no conclusion since the franc was stabilized through fiscal conservatism. Marks finished this episode with the illusion of peace still going and the spirit of Locarno was alive. Another example of the illusion of peace being heightened is found with the establishment of the steel cartel. This cartel composed of three central powers, its neighbors, and major continental steel companies set a limit to steel production in order to raise prices and make a bigger profit. The steel cartel considered the formation of a European economic union but barriers between 30 states and customs prevented this from