Section C: International option The League of Nations and international relations in the 1920s Read the sources and then answer both parts of the question. Source A [Figure A.1] A cartoon published in a British newspaper, September 1925. The middle figure is Austen Chamberlain, the British Foreign Secretary. Source B I had not met representatives of Germany until the Locarno Conference. I soon saw that they shared our sincere desire for peace and that they would work with us to secure this for the prosperity of all our peoples. We were fortunate in the character of the great Frenchman, Briand, who represented his country. He is a man of courage and clearness of vision. When he works to make peace, he does it whole-heartedly. The success of the Locarno Conference was essentially due to the character of the representatives of Germany and of France. It was in such a spirit of goodwill on all sides, of confidence and friendliness, that the Conference met. For the first time the nations who had been enemies met not to justify their actions or their failure to fulfil obligations, but on the initiative taken by the German government. The Conference of Locarno was an assembly of free nations meeting as equals to discuss their differences and, if possible, remove them. From a speech by Austen Chamberlain to the British parliament, November 1925. Source C During the past few years, I have led a battle for German foreign policy. It used to be a strongly militaristic country. As a result of the World War this old Germany collapsed but the transformation is not yet complete. The road to Locarno and admission to the League of Nations was not easy. It would be untrue to suggest that the Locarno policy met with joyful approval. Distrust abroad delayed a prompt response to the German proposal. At home, some saw weakness. Our opponents questioned the sincerity of Germany's desire for peace. Entry into the League of Nations was a condition for the Locarno Treaties. What a change that was! The League, founded as an association of victors, was seeking cooperation and reconciliation. Briand declared that the era of cannons and machine guns must end and that the two great nations, Germany and France, should compete only for the idealistic goals of mankind. From the speech of Stresemann accepting the Nobel Peace Prize, June 1927. Source D The fact that Poincaré was from Lorraine, born and brought up in sight of the German flag waving over the captured provinces of France, bred in him a hatred for Germany and all Germans. Poincaré would not tolerate any compromise, concession or conciliation. He was determined to keep Germany down. He was more responsible than any other man for the refusal of France to implement the disarmament provisions of the Treaty of Versailles. He intrigued with the anti-German elements in Britain to prevent every effort to restore goodwill in Europe and he completely blocked Briand's wishes in that direction. He is the true creator of modern Germany with its great and growing armaments, and should this end in another conflict, the catastrophe will have been engineered by Poincaré. His hand lies heavy on Europe today. From 'The Truth about the Peace Treaties', by Lloyd George, published in 1938. Poincaré was President of France until 1920, then Prime Minister for two periods during the 1920s.