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Filmed as r o r p i i / f l H Xerox University Microfilms 300 North Zeeb Road Ann Arbor, Michigan 48106 73-26,318 HASKINS, V. Lyle, 1938- , THE GLEICHBERECHriGUNG-SECüRrrE ISSUE AT THE WORLD DISARMAMENT CONFERENCE: 1932-1934. The University of Oklahoma, Ph.D., 1973 History, modem University Microfilms, A XEROKCompany, Ann Arbor, Michigan Copyright by V. Lyle Haskins 1973 THIS DISSERTATION HAS BEEN MICROFIIWED EXACTLY AS RECEIVED. THE UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA GRADUATE COLLEGE THE GLEICHBERECHTIGUNG-SÉCURITË ISSUE AT THE WORLD DISARMAMENT CONFERENCE: 1932-1934 A DISSERTATION SUBMITTED TO THE GRADUATE FACULTY in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY BY V. LYLE HASKINS Norman, Oklahoma 1973 THE GLEICHBERECHTIGUNG-SÊCURITË ISSUE AT THE WORLD DISARMAMENT CONFERENCE: 1932-1934 APPROVED BY DISSERTATION COMMITTEE ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to thank the research assistants at the National Archives in Washington, D. C. and in the personal papers collections of the Library of Congress. I received personal assistance especially from Richard Bower and George Wagner in the German archives at Washington, from John Taylor in the Nuremberg records and from Mary M. Johnson in the State Department records. The assistance I recieved from the Public Record Office in London in searching for numerous British Foreign Office records is also extremely appreciated. Many individuals have given me valuable assistance, advice and constructive criticism. Professor Keith Eubank, of Queens College of the City University of New York, origi nally directed me into studying this subject and has given me considerable advice. Obéra Cude of the Northeastern State College Library in Tahlequah, Oklahoma, has devoted much of her time over many months in helping me to locate a great number of works necessary for my research. Most important, I am appreciative of the advice and constructive criticisms offered to me by Professor Gordon D. Drummond of the History Department of the University of Oklahoma and by the other members of my graduate committee. iii TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION ........................................... 1 CHAPTER I. PREPARATION AI^D SETTING FOR THE CONFERENCE. 18 Early Disarmament Activities (18)— The League and the Security Question (19)— The Preparatory Commission (22)— The Draft Disarmament Convention of 1930 (25)— Refinement of the French Thesis of Sécurité (32)— Development of the German Policy of Gleichberechtiq- unq (39)— Determination of the British Position for the Conference (40)— Setting for the Conference (44) CHAPTER II. THE OPENING OF THE CONFERENCE AND THE EMERGENCE OF THE GLEICHBERECHTIGUNG- SËCURITÉ ISSUE ............................ 48 Convening of the Conference (48)— André Tardieu and the French Proposals (49)— Heinrich Brüning and the German Demands (54)— The British Sug gestion for Qualitative Disarmament (58)— The First Attempt to Discuss the Equality-Security Issue (61)— Qualitative Disarmament and the April Impasse (64)— Ramsay MacDonald's Intervention and the'"Bessinge Talks (68)— The Baldwin Plan (74)— The State of the Conference by May 1932 (75) CHAPTER III. THE CONCLUSION OF THE FIRST PHASE OF THE CONFERENCE: MAY-JULY 1932 77 Changes in French Politics (77)— Changes in German Politics (80)— The Disarmament Talks at the Lausanne Conference (85)— The Hoover Plan (91)— Reaction to the Hoover Plan (94)— The July Resolution (99)— Analysis of the First Phase of the Conference (104) CHAPTER IV. THE ATTEMPT TO RESOLVE THE GLEICH- BERECHTIGUNG-SÊCURITÉ CONTROVERSY: JULY- DECEMBER 1932 110 German Initiation of Private Talks (110)— The Contro versy Sparked by German Claims (115)— The German IV Decision to Boycott the Conference (124)— French Security Proposals of November 1932 (128)— British Acceptance of the Principle of German Equality (138)— British-Sponsored Five-Power Talks (142)— The Five-Power Declaration (147) CHAPTER V. THE REOPENING OF THE CONFERENCE AND THE MACDONALD PLAN: FEBRUARY-MARCH 1933 . 152 The New Setting for the Conference in 1933 (152) — Hitler's Determination to Rearm Germany (155)— The Effect upon French Policy of the Developments in Germany (151)— Increased British Involvement in the Disarmament Effort (162)— The Impasse over the Secu- rity-Equality Issue (165)— Development of the MacDonald Plan (169)— Impact of the British Pro posals upon the Conference (180) CHAPTER VI. THE FOUR-POWER PACT AND THE CONCLUSION OF THE SECOND PHASE OF MEETINGS: MARCH- JUNE 1933 182 Mussolini's Four-Power Pact (182)— British Response to the Pact (186)— Modifications of the MacDonald- Mussolini Draft (190)— German Obstruction at Geneva (192)— Isolation of Germany at Geneva (194)— Hitler's Address to the Reichstag of May 17 (198)— Modification of the German, French and British Positions (201)— Approval of the Four-Power Pact and of the MacDonald Plan (203)— Assessment of the State of the Conference (204) CHAPTER VII. THE CULMINATION OF THE GLEICHBERSCHTIG- UNG-SÉCURITÉ CONTROVERSY AND GERMANY'S WITHDRAWAL FROM THE CONFERENCE: JUNE- OCTOBER 1933 207 Postponement of the Third Phase of the Conference (207)— Growing Boldness of German Policy (208)— The Daladier Plan (211)— Italian and British Acceptance of the French Security Proposals (215)— New German Conditions for a Convention (220)— Hitler's Decision to Leave Geneva (224)— Withdrawal of Germany from the Conference and League, October 1933 (228)— Analysis of the Crisis Leading to the Rupture of the Conference (234) CHAPTER VIII. THE COLLAPSE OF THE DISARMAMENT CONFERENCE ................................. 237 French and British Attitude Toward the Conference after Germany's Departure (237)— Hitler's Attempts V to Reopen Disarmament Negotiations (240)— French Response to Hitler's Overtures (243)— Decision of the British to Appease Hitler and Their Proposals of January 1934 (245)— Reaction to the British Dis armament Plan (250)— The French Break off Disarmament Talks, April 17, 1934 (256)— The Collapse of the Disarmament Conference (260) CONCLUSION ................................................262 BIBLIOGRAPHY ........................................... 278 VI THE GLEICHBERECHTIGUNG-SËCURITÊ ISSUE AT THE WORLD DISARMAMENT CONFERENCE; 1932-1934 INTRODUCTION In February 1932, the long-awaited World Disarmament Conference convened at Geneva, Switzerland. More than twelve years earlier, at the Paris Peace Conference, the Allies had forced Germany to accept extensive measures of disarmament, affirming that the severe military restrictions were necessary in order to make possible the limitation of every nation's armaments. The disarmament conference met to implement that promise. Because of its size and timing, the conference was a momentous event of the inter-war years. It was the largest international gathering of that era: the sixty nations which sent diplomats and technical experts to Geneva represented the vast portion of the world's population. Accordingly, the meetings attracted universal attention when they began. The conference met at a time in which there were growing signs of strain and instability on the Continent, with relations between France and Germany especially entering a new phase of uneasiness. A pacific settlanent of the armaments prob lem could ease tensions considerably in Europe. For these 1 2 reasons the disarmament conference was one of the most impor tant international meetings during the twenty-year period between the two world wars. The task which the League of Nations had set for the delegates at Geneva was to draft a convention that would reduce the military weapons of countries not disarmed by the war treaties and would restrict arms