| Summary/Abstract |
The German government decided to remilitarise the Rhineland on 7 March 1936, which meant violating the treaties of Versailles and Locarno. Existing literature says much about negotiations that started in spring 1936 on the so-called Western pact – sometimes called the ‘new Locarno’. However, these studies do not focus on the western Powers’ policies. The attitude of the Polish government was also important because Poland was an important French ally in East-Central Europe. This analysis explores whether Polish diplomacy tried to be active in negotiations concerning the Western pact. What were strategic Polish aims in connexion with a ‘new Locarno?’ What were the tactics of Polish diplomacy? And, finally, what did Warsaw achieve during the negotiations that started in March 1936? The answers to these questions determined Warsaw’s role in the failure of the Western pact negotiations.
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