French Military Intelligence responds to the German Remilitarisation of the Rhineland, 1936 - The military consequences for France of the end of Locarno

This assessment presents a lengthy and substantive analysis from within the French politico-military apparatus as it reflected on the significance of Germany's 7 March 1936 unilateral remilitarization of the Rhineland. Comprising the river's west bank and a 50 kilometre deep slice of the e...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Intelligence and national security 2007-08, Vol.22 (4), p.563-572
Main Author: Alexander, Martin S.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Analysis
Armed forces
History
Intelligence
Militarization
Military engagements
Military history
National security
Treaties
Online Access:Get full text
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Summary:This assessment presents a lengthy and substantive analysis from within the French politico-military apparatus as it reflected on the significance of Germany's 7 March 1936 unilateral remilitarization of the Rhineland. Comprising the river's west bank and a 50 kilometre deep slice of the east bank, the Rhineland zone had been demilitarized by the June 1919 Treaty of Versailles. The settlement was valued by France and Belgium for its provision of a protective buffer or glacis to the east of their borders, making it both easier for their armies to threaten Germany's key Ruhr industrial basin and harder, or slower, for German forces to menace France and Belgium. The Rhineland's demilitarization had been accepted by Germany's Weimar Republic, who had joined Belgium and France in signing the October 1925 Treaty of Locarno pledging the three powers not to alter these border arrangements by force.
ISSN:0268-4527
1743-9019
DOI:10.1080/02684520701640548