ABSTRACT
European leaders undertook numerous initiatives during the 1930s to reduce the threat of another major war in Europe. The search for a permanent peace through disarmament and European integration continued despite the negative impact of the Great Depression and the aggressive foreign policies of Germany and Italy. As international tensions increased in the early 1930s, states in East Central Europe continued their diplomatic efforts to improve their national security. The Little Entente countries met in the Italian resort town of Stresa in February 1933, created a standing council and permanent secretariat to tighten their consultation mechanisms, and extended their alliance indefinitely. After 1935, the two most active countries in promoting European visions were the Soviet Union and Nazi Germany, and both waged crusades to annihilate the other's European vision. The dream of a united Europe did not die with the Great Depression, but it took a dramatic turn.
