How did the Kellogg-Briand Pact aim to prevent conflict?

The Kellogg-Briand Pact aimed to prevent conflict by outlawing war as a means of national policy and resolving disputes peacefully.

The Kellogg-Briand Pact, also known as the Pact of Paris, was an international agreement signed in 1928. It was named after its architects, American Secretary of State Frank B. Kellogg and French Foreign Minister Aristide Briand. The pact was a diplomatic attempt to ensure peace by making war illegal. It was a direct response to the horrors of the First World War and was designed to prevent such a conflict from happening again.

The pact aimed to prevent conflict by making war an illegal act, except for self-defence or in the interest of collective security. It was a multilateral treaty, meaning it was signed by many nations, initially by 15 but later by a total of 62 countries. The signatories pledged to renounce war as an instrument of national policy and to settle all disputes by peaceful means. This was a significant shift in international relations, as it was the first time that war was outlawed on such a large scale.

The pact did not include any provisions for enforcement, which was one of its main criticisms. It relied on the moral obligation of the signatories to uphold their pledge. The idea was that by making war illegal, nations would be deterred from engaging in conflict. The pact aimed to create a global norm against war, hoping that this would be enough to prevent future conflicts.

However, the effectiveness of the Kellogg-Briand Pact is debatable. Despite its noble intentions, it failed to prevent the Second World War, which broke out just over a decade after the pact was signed. The lack of enforcement mechanisms and the fact that some signatories, such as Germany and Japan, blatantly disregarded their commitments, undermined the pact's effectiveness.

In conclusion, the Kellogg-Briand Pact aimed to prevent conflict by outlawing war and promoting peaceful resolution of disputes. Despite its shortcomings, it represented a significant step towards the idea of a peaceful international order.