Or perhaps American belligerence, if you prefer.
I've been thinking about German reparations and the Dawes Plan. Specifically, suppose there's a U.S. Administration other than Hoover 1929-33 (Charles Dawes himself, I'm thinking) that's far more willing to engage in mulish blustering at Europe. Taking German failure to make payments on schedule as a repudiation of the Dawes Plan, the Americans think it's time to reoccupy the coal mines and steel mills of Germany. That occupation, though, pretty much has to be done by French and Belgian soldiers. Are the French and Belgians up for it? What does the USA have to promise them to go along with this (presumably loans guaranteeing payments, but any particularly interesting or problematic new terms)? If the French and Belgians aren't interested - or make noises of agreement and then don't actually send troops - how does Germany react? The UK?
I've been thinking about German reparations and the Dawes Plan. Specifically, suppose there's a U.S. Administration other than Hoover 1929-33 (Charles Dawes himself, I'm thinking) that's far more willing to engage in mulish blustering at Europe. Taking German failure to make payments on schedule as a repudiation of the Dawes Plan, the Americans think it's time to reoccupy the coal mines and steel mills of Germany. That occupation, though, pretty much has to be done by French and Belgian soldiers. Are the French and Belgians up for it? What does the USA have to promise them to go along with this (presumably loans guaranteeing payments, but any particularly interesting or problematic new terms)? If the French and Belgians aren't interested - or make noises of agreement and then don't actually send troops - how does Germany react? The UK?