Britain and the Geneva Disarmament Conference

by Kitching, Carolyn J.

• ISBN13: 9780333968505
• ISBN10: 0333968506
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2003-03-19
• Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan

Summary

In this fascinating study, Carolyn Kitching examines the role which Britain played at the Geneva Disarmament Conference, an event which marked a watershed in inter-war international relations. Failure to reach agreement in Geneva hastened the collapse of the Treaty of Versailles, and gave the green light for German re-armament. Britain was arguably the only Power capable of mediating between conflicting French and German demands over the Treaty's disarmament clauses, and this analysis reveals that the traditional interpretation of British policy at the conference needs to be drastically revised.

Author Biography

Carolyn J. Kitching is Lecturer in Modern History, University of Teesside.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements	vii
Introduction	1	(6)
The Problem of Disarmament in International Diplomacy 1919--34	7	(19)
Preparations, Policies and Personalities	26	(25)
The Opening of the Conference	51	(15)
The Bruning and Hoover Plans: `April Tragedy' and Betrayal by the Hawks?	66	(23)
Bringing Germany Back to the Conference	89	(17)
Drifting to Disaster	106	(24)
The MacDonald Plan	130	(27)
The French Amendments	157	(18)
The Final Stages	175	(19)
Conclusion	194	(10)
Notes	204	(17)
Bibliography	221	(6)
Index	227