The Ruhr Occupation: An Examination and Assessment of Power

In January 1923, the French and Belgian armies occupied the Ruhr region in Germany attempting to regain reparations payments from the Germans. While militarily weak, the Germans responded with non-violent resistance and civil disobedience resulting in French withdrawal. Through an in-depth case study of the 1923 Ruhr Occupation expressions of power and the effectiveness of these expressions will be examined. Particular attention will be given to examining the power expressed by the invading forces and the German resistance effort. Furthermore, the role of soft power in the conflict, German passive resistance to the occupation and the role of unions and separatist movements will all be looked at in detail. The implications of this event on world politics as a whole will be examined as well as what lessons can be learned from the occupation