The Genoa Conference (1922)

Background

It was suggested by British PM David Lloyd George and ran from 10th of April to 19th of May 1922.

The conference in which representatives of the 30 European countries met in Genoa, Italy, involved the discussion of easing the post-war economic problems and exploring ways to improve relations between Soviet Russia and European capitalist regimes.

Despite their political and diplomatic isolation, Germany and Soviet Russia were invited as Lloyd George believe their inclusion was vital to achieving the aim of the economic reconstruction of Europe.

The issue of aid to Russia and the "Restoration of Russia"

• Four commissions were set up to investigate ways to enlist foreign capital as aid for Russia, which had been devastated by the German invasion and the Bolshevik revolution & civil war. 

• While the major powers had at first agreed on a contingency package of financial aid to Russia, the Allies could not agree on the final plan and nothing was offered.

• Discussions broke down when France and Belgium, the main creditors of pre-revolutionary Russia, insisted on the complete repayment of pre-war loans and total return of foreign-owned property in Soviet Russia which had been confiscated.

The issue of German reparations

• Reduction of reparations (German economic problems)

• Britain wanted to restore its German trading links

• France insisted that reparation payments should be made in full

• The USA declined to attend and pursued its isolationist policy

Outcome

Germany quickly withdrew from the conference after France refused to compromise, while the Russians felt increasingly isolated and wished to develop their relations with Germany, so they too, backed out of the negotiations.

• They did this by signing the Treaty of Rapallo together, pulling both Germany and Russia out of the Conference.

The Genoa Conference was a failure; it achieved nothing.