1. France
The Interwar Years
(1919-1939)

2. World War I Statistics
• French population in 1919
• 38.7 million people
• Military Mobilized - 8,410,000
• Total Casualties - 6,460,800
• Military Casualties - 6,160,800
• Civilian Casualties - 300,000
• 17% of population (2nd most behind Russia)
• Total Deaths - 1,657,800
• 4% of population (2nd most behind Russia)

3. French Casualties in WWI
5%
8%
21%
Military Deaths
66%
Military Wounded
POWs & Missing
Civilian Deaths

4. Post-War Problems
• massive war debt
• much of France needs rebuilt
• soldiers no longer have jobs
• Russian ally replacement question
• German question

5. Post-War France
• Treaty of Versailles
• France was a major player
• French PM - George Clemenceau
• wanted to humiliate
Germany
• said treaty was not harsh
enough
• got back Alsace-Lorraine
• German troops not allowed to
occupy the Rhineland

6. "So far as possible, therefore, it was the policy of France
to set the clock back and undo what, since 1870, the
progress of Germany had accomplished. By loss of
territory and other measures her population was to be
curtailed; but chiefly the economic system, upon which
she depended for her new strength, the vast fabric built
upon iron, coal, and transport must be destroyed. If
France could seize, even in part, what Germany was
compelled to drop, the inequality of strength between
the two rivals for European hegemony might be
remedied for generations."
- John Maynard Keynes
The Economic Consequences of the Peace

7. Reconstruction
• most of WWI fought in France
• counted on reparations from Germany to rebuild
• reparations didn’t arrive until 1926
• Aristide Briand
• French Prime Minister
• allowed Germany more time
before paying reparations
• forced out of office in 1922

8. Raymond Poincaré (1922-24)
• successor to Aristide Briand
• ordered troops into the Rhineland
• Occupation of the Ruhr
• reluctance to military occupation
• driven from office in 1924
• unable to produce any
substantial reparation payments
• international pressure
from the Ruhr Crisis
• increased taxes on French citizens
• will later serve again as PM from 1926-29

9. Occupation of the Ruhr (1923-25)
• How it happened...
• France relied heavily on reparations for rebuilding
• Dec. 1922 - Reparations Commission declares Germany in default
• 40,000 French troops sent to occupy the Ruhr
• passive-aggressive German resistance
• German mark worthless due to hyperinflation
• withdrew in July and August 1925
• Consequences
• unsuccessful
• wrecked Germany’s economy, gaining world sympathy
• The Dawes Act

11. The Dawes Plan (Aug. 1924)
• consequence of the Occupation of the Ruhr
• late replaced by the Young Plan
• MainRuhr to be evacuated by all Allied troops
•
Points
• Reparations payments were reduced
• Reichsbank to be reorganized under Allied supervision
• sources of reparations payments to now include transportation,
excise, and customs taxes
• Outcomesreparations burden on Germany
• relieved
• stabilized German currency
• brought foreign investment to the German economy

12. Cartel des Gauches (1924-26)
• “Left-wing Coalition”
• gained power due to the Ruhr Crisis
• replaced the conservative Bloc National coalition
• generally unfit for government, disorganized, and
disunited
• in disagreement on economic issues
• in disagreement on the German question

13. Treaty of Locarno (1925)
• reaffirmed smaller treaties and alliances that had
been signed prior
• encourage by Britain to foster Franco-German
reconciliation
• HUGE improvement in European relations
• “spirit of Locarno”
• Rhineland Pact
• Germany, France, Belgium, UK, Italy
• answer to the Russian ally replacement question

14. The Great Depression
• financial problems creates political
instability
• left - print money, lower taxes
• right - printing money will cause inflation
• Franc overvalued
• causes France to rely even more heavily on
German reparation payments
• revolving door of governments

15. Fear of Extremism
• feared a power vacuum
• Russia, Spain, Italy, Germany
• support for fascism and communism grew
• Feb. to riotsbarricading of the main square in Paris
due
1934 -
and police confrontations

16. Popular Front (1936)
• radical leftist political group
• Leon Blum - Prime Minister
• concessionary attitude towards workers
• unable to stop increase of government deficit
• fell apart in 1937

17. France (1937-39)
• 1937 - rightist government took over
• economy began to stabilize
• investment in armaments manufacturers
• betweenmonths average government
lasted 7
1920-40,
• unprepared for WWII
• somewhat militarily prepared
• politically and psychologically unstable
• not unified