User:Dumelow/11 March 1917 Franco-Russian agreement

The 1917 Franco-Russian agreement was a secret treaty between the French Third Republic and the Russian Empire

Background


Franco-Russian Alliance

Alsace–Lorraine

Congress Poland

Treaty negotiations
The agreement was discussed from as early as 1915. Russian foreign minister Sergey Sazonov on 9 March 1916 wrote to the Russian ambassador in Paris Alexander Izvolsky, ahead of an upcoming allied conference, to state that the government was prepared to grant France and Britain free reign in determining the new western frontiers of Germany if Russia was granted the same freedom for the eastern frontiers of Germany and Austria-Hungary and that there was no question of the creation of a Polish state.

Doumergye net with Nicholas on 3 February 1917. Nicholas argued that France needed firm guarantees in the western border as US President Woodrow Wilson was carrying out "phony humanitarianism". Doumergue telegrammed details to Paris and Philippe Berthelot was tasked to draft an agreement in general terms that both nations would support each other militarily, industrially and econmically, without detail of the border agreement.

The next-but-one Russian foreign minister after Sazonov, Nikolai Pokrovsky wrote to Izvolsky (copying in Sazanov who was then ambassador the UK) on 12 February 1917 stating that the French Minister of the COlonies Gaston Doumergue has asked Nicholas II to support French claims to Alsace-Lorraine, the special treatment of the Saarland and the separation from Germany of all territory on the west bank of the Rhine to form a new political entity. Nicholas II agreed to this in principle. Pokrovsky noted his itnent to use the agreement as a prompt to secure from France assent to Russia's right to define the borders of Eastern Europe and to annul the parts of the Treaty of Paris (1856) that restricted Russian military presence on Åland.

Pokrovsky wrote to the French ambassador in Petrogfrad Maurice Paléologue on 14 February to reiterate his agreement to the French proposal, adding that he supported the French military occupation of the western Rhine territory after the war.

Maurice Paléologue and Doumergue tought they had approval to draft their own treaty and wrote one outlining the French ambitions in the west. This shocked French diplomats in Eurpe who feared the consequences if the detail reached the British. The Russian ambassador called ath the French foreign ministry on 16 February to seek agreement on Russia's future borders. The French initially considered that the 1915 Constantinople Agreement was sufficient quid pro quo for their border demands but Russia insisted, relying on the draft document promising cooperation between the nations. France eventually agreed, with formal acceptance letters being eexchanged on 10 March.

Izolvsky wrote back to Pokrovsky on 11 March indicating that the French government had recognised Russia's compelte independence in establishing he rwestern frontiers.

Agreement between the Tsarist Russian government and France that they would mutual support their respective territoriral ambitions in any post-war settlement. Russia would recognise France's claim to Alsace-Lorraine while France would support Russia's claim to whatever portions of Poland could be conquered. .

Agreement was that the Saarland would become part of France. The Rhine territory was to be neutral.

Secret treaty.

Aftermath


The agreement did not survive the February Revolution in Russia (8-16 March 1917) After the 15 March Abdication of Nicholas II the Russian Provisional Government on 29 March declared its support for the creation of an independent Polish state in all areas where Poles comprised hte majority of the population.

Briand's government fell on 20 March and details of the treaty remained generally unknown until a parliamentary inquest undearthed them some months later,by which time the Tsar had abdicated. he Provisional Government's foreign minist Paul Milukov described the agreement as a mistake to which the French government of Alexandre Ribot aagreed. The British government regarded the proposed Rhineland state as causing instability in Western Europe and preferred to rely on American power as a counter to future German militarism. By June formal fFrench peace demands extended onlt to Alsace-Lorraine and reparations

The Western allies had previously been opposed to Polish independence, but positions swiftly changed asa result of US support for the idea, Russia's miliatary and politcal collapse and as a means of embarassing Germany. On 26 April, in response to the provisional GOvernment's declaration the British chancellor of the exchequer, Bonar Law welcomed Poland as an independent nation.France formallt recognised the Polish national army in June.

The British foreign secretary Arthur Balfour on 19 December 1917 declared that his government had never supported the French ambitions for an independent Rhine state.

Post-war: Second Polish Republic, Territory of the Saar Basin, Occupation of the Rhineland, Occupation of the Ruhr