University of Richmond UR Scholarship Repository Master's Theses Student Research Spring 5-1998 Laval 1931 : a diplomatic study Sebastian Volcker Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarship.richmond.edu/masters-theses Part of the History Commons Recommended Citation Volcker, Sebastian, "Laval 1931 : a diplomatic study" (1998). Master's Theses. 1110. https://scholarship.richmond.edu/masters-theses/1110 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Student Research at UR Scholarship Repository. It has been accepted for inclusion in Master's Theses by an authorized administrator of UR Scholarship Repository. For more information, please contact
[email protected]. LAVAL 1931, A DIPLOMA TIC STUDY by SEBASTIAN VOLCKER Masters of Arts in Diplomatic History, University of Richmond, May 1998. Thesis Director: JOHN D. TREADWAY, Ph. D. This thesis sheds light on a hitherto neglected chapter in the life of Pierre Laval, one of France's most controversial political figures in the twentieth century. Widely remembered as Vice-Premier (Vice-President du Conseil des Ministres) of the Vichy government during World War II, Laval is less known as the premier (President du Conseil des Ministres) who attempted to solve the grave financial and diplomatic dilemmas dividing France, Great Britain, the United States, and Germany in 1931. In that year, he engaged in one last grand diplomatic effort, before Adolf Hitler came to power, traveling to London, Berlin and Washington, D.C., in order to solve the issues of the international war debt, the world economic crisis, and the rise of nationalism Germany. Uzw...-..~.Y UNlVE~effY Of RtCHMOND VIRGINIA 13173 I certify that I have read this thesis and find that in scope and quality, it satisfies the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts.