The Analysis On The Courses Of Franco-Germany Reconciliation

Europe was the cradle of the Capital civilization, the original region of modern Nation-State and modern international relations system. Since 18th century, France and Germany became two great powers in Europe land. Franco-Germany relationship was one of the most important bilateral relationships of Europe. France was the earliest Nation-state, while Germany united in 1870's through three imperial wars. At the expenses of France' ceding territory and the reparations Germany Empire emerged, meanwhile the unification broke the balance of power system, challenging the hegemony of France, so the conflicts between France and Germany were inevitable after the Unification. This paper aims at narrating the initiative and origin of the Franco-Germany conflicts, and the two climaxes of the reconciliation after the two world wars, and then analyzes what caused the success and defeat of the reconciliation.In addition to introduction and conclusion, the paper consists of four chapters. Chapter one retraces the history of the Franco-Germany conflicts. The balance of power system was the regular state of European politics since the middle Ages. It was the reflection of European political state and the hope of the nation-states'. However, the system laid on the basic of the dynamic balance of the strength. While the strength correlation changed, the balance of power system would be broken.The Industrial Revolution endowed the power of the capitalism's expanding, which made Europe as the core of the world firmly. After the French Revolution, the Nationalism combined with the Industrial Revolution, which made the nationalism dilated. Under this nationalism tide, Nation-state in Europe developed exclusively. The struggle and contradiction among European powers dominated world order. Since the German Unification leading by Otto von Bismarck,the relationship between France and Germany worsen, the contradiction and the clash of France and Germany got intensified, which brought about the first world war. The second chapter is the first attempt to Franco-Germany reconciliation. Amidst the chaos and the dislocation after the war, there were few advocates of full-scale European integration. However, the biggest obstacle was the scores between France and Germany, only the Franco-Germany reconciliation can propel the European integration. After the war, France wanted to make sure that Germany never again violated its soil and divided Germany. However, the great powers, the Britain and the American opposed the policy while advocating the reconciliation policy, according to their own interests, meanwhile France had crippled after the First world war, all of above made it implemented the reconciliation policy. As the defeated nation, Germany made the sovereignty's recovery the diplomatic target. Obviously, it would be realized by means of reconciliation. Aristide Briand and Stresemann, the leaders of France and Germany, made their efforts to achieve the reconciliation. The Thoriy secret meeting in1926 promoted the reconciliation to the climax.However, with two leaders' death and the Fascist 's coming into power in Germany, the Franco-Germany reconciliation had defeated. What made the failure was France didn't give the virtual concession to Germany for the reconciliation based on the Versailles system aiming at weakening Germany. With the great depression, Nationalism expanded in Germany, and the Nazi leading by Hitler came into power, which aimed at controlling Europe by force, replacing the reconciliation policy. The world war was unavoidable.Chapter three narrates the reconciliation's tortuous courses. The Second World War destroyed the European superiority. The super powers rose abruptly,while Europe became the dependence of the American. The recovery of Europe could be realized only by the means of integration. However, the old grudges between France and Germany were the greatest barrier. The reconciliation was necessary for the two countries. On Germany, France advocated the divided policy, but the decline of national pow...