Empire and Europe : a reassessment of British foreign policies, 1919-1925
This thesis is a reassessment of British foreign policies from the Treaty of Versailles in 1919 until the Treaties of Locarno in 1925. It initially argues that much of the historiography of this period is unbalanced in its judgement of the different governments because it views them from a teleological perspective that fails to differentiate this period from the inter-war years as a whole. The problem with this approach is that the rise of Hitler and the causes of the Second World War became so dominant in such analyses that most issues within these years have only been judged within that wider context. The thesis argues that an assessment of the foreign policies between 1919 and 1925 must take greater account of all the diplomatic, military and economic difficulties in the years after the Great War, and also recognise the degree of stability achieved by the end of 1925. The difficulties included the expansion of the British Empire as a result of Versailles, ongoing financial and economic problems including wartime debts, the complexities of the Irish negotiations, and the major European issues that had not been resolved at Versailles. Britain was still a great power and its foreign policies are analysed both
Crook, Christopher Thomas
DA010.5 British Empire. Commonwealth of Nations. The Commonwealth
Empire and Europe : a reassessment of British foreign policies, 1919-1925. This thesis is a reassessment of British foreign policies from the Treaty of Versailles in 1919 until the Treaties of Locarno in 1925. It initially argues that much of the historiography of this period is unbalanced in its judgement of the different governments because it views them from a teleological perspective that fails to differentiate this period from the inter-war years as a whole. The problem with this approach is that the rise of Hitler and the causes of the Second World War became so dominant in such analyses that most issues within these years have only been judged within that wider context. The thesis argues that an assessment of the foreign policies between 1919 and 1925 must take greater account of all the diplomatic, military and economic difficulties in the years after the Great War, and also recognise the degree of stability achieved by the end of 1925. The difficulties included the expansion of the British Empire as a result of Versailles, ongoing financial and economic problems including wartime debts, the complexities of the Irish negotiations, and the major European issues that had not been resolved at Versailles. Britain was still a great power and its foreign policies are analysed both
empire europe reassessment british_foreign_policy reassessment british_foreign_policy treaty initially argues much historiography period judgement different government view teleological perspective fails differentiate period inter_war_year whole problem rise cause second_world_war become_dominant analysis issue within year judge within_wider context argues assessment foreign_policy must_take great account diplomatic military_economic difficulty years great_war also recognise degree stability achieve end difficulty include expansion british empire ongoing financial economic problem include wartime debt complexity irish negotiation major_european issue resolve britain still great_power foreign_policy analyse