2. League of Nations Flashcards

1
Q

What did Wilson want the League to be?

A

A world parliament were representatives met together.

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2
Q

What did British leaders want the League to be?

A

A Simple organisation that would meet together in emergencies. (this already existed= conference of Ambassadors9

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3
Q

What did France want the League to be?

A

A strong organisation with its own army.

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4
Q

What reasons did the USA have to not join the League?

A
  • The League enforced the TofV (+Some Americans had German ancestors)
  • Did not want to send US soldiers to settle little conflicts.
  • Economic sanctions would affect America trade
  • GB + FRwould use the League to control their Empires.
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5
Q

What was the process of not joining the League in the USA?

A
  • 1919: Wilson’s democratic party proposes joining and is defeated.
  • 1920: Wilson is ill, he brings back the proposal and is defeated.
  • In the 1920 election, the Republican candidate Warren Harding won campaigning for America to be isolationist
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6
Q

What did the Covenant say were the main aims of the League?

A
  • Discourage aggression
  • Encourage Co-operation (business+trade)
  • Encourage Disarmament
  • Improve living+working conditions
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7
Q

What did Article 10 of the Covenant of the League mean?

A

Collective security

League could prevent war by defending the lands and interests of other nations.

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8
Q

Where was the League based?

A

Geneva, Switzerland

neutral land

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9
Q

Why was the membership of the League weakened?

A

USA was absent: both GB + FR were weakened from WWI and weren’t the major powers they had once been.
Some British poiticians said that if they knew the American decision, they wouldn’t have entered the League.

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10
Q

How did British and French self-interests towards the League differ?

A

British: rebuild British trade + looking after the British empire.
France: Germany. Didn’t think Britain would send and army in case of invsion so wanted to strengthen their position against Germany.

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11
Q

How did the Council work?

A
Met in emergencies.
Permanent members (had a veto): Britain, France, Italy, Japan
Temporary members: elected each 3 years.
Decided which power to use:
- moral condemnation
- economic sanctions
- Military force
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12
Q

How did the Assembly work?

A

The League’s Parliament - every country was represented.
It recommended action to the Council + could vote on some aspects (like admitting new members)
Met once a year
Decisions had to be unanimous.

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13
Q

How did the Secretariat work?

A

Kept records of meetings and prepared reports (about health, disarmament…)

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14
Q

How did the Permanent Court of Justice work?

A

Based at the Hague, Netherlands.
Judges from member countries.
Gave legal advice + could settle a dispute if asked.
The advice was non-binding (had no way of making sure countries followed heir advice)

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15
Q

How did the International Labour Organisation (ILO) work?

A

Brought together employers, government and workers representatives once a year.
Had the aim of improving working conditions.
Collected statistics+information to try and convince countries.

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16
Q

How did the Mandates Commission work?

A

Defeated countries’ colonies ended up being mandates of the LoN run by GB or FR.
Expert advisers who reported to the League how the mandates were being treated (ensured they were run well)
It also helped minority groups in the new states created by the TofV. (e.g. Germans in Sudetenland, Czechoslovakia)

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17
Q

How did the Refugees Committee work?

A

Explorer Fridtjof Nansen was in charge.

It had the aim of helping refugees after WWI. especially those in former Russian territory (Balkans, Greece)

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18
Q

How did the Slavery Commission work?

A

Worked to abolish slavery worldwide. Specially in East Africa. Also worked to abolish workers being treated like slaves.

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19
Q

How did the Health Committee work?

A

Worked with other organisations to collect statistics about health, spread new ideas and develop programmes to fight disease.
Delt with dangerous disease and gave Sanittion advice.

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20
Q

Polish-Lithuanian dispute, 1920-29

A

Poland took control of Vilna, the Lithuanian capital
Lithuania appealed to the League
League protested to Poland
Poles did not move

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21
Q

Upper Silesian Settlement, 1921

A

Germany wanted to get back Upper Silesia from Poland
League held a plebiscite
League divided the region between the two countries
Both countries accepted

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22
Q

Aaland islands dispute, 1921

A

Sweden wanted Aaland islands (culture there is mainly swedish+strategic position)
The League claimed it should be a demilitarised, autonomous part of Finland.
Sweden accepted.

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23
Q

Corfu dispute, 1923

A

Conference of Ambassadors appointed the Italian General Tellini to supervise the border between Greece+Albania.
27 August, Tellini+his team were ambushed and killed.
Mussolini blamed the Greek government
29 August, he demanded Greece to pay compensation and execute the murderers.
31 August, Mussolini bombards+invades Corfu (Greek island)
Greece appealed to the League
7 September, the League held a judgment (following articles 12+15 of Covenant)
The League blamed Mussolini + suggested Greece to pay compensations to the League and the League would hand it to Italy when Tellini’s killers were found.
Council of Ambassadors made the final decision (Commission of GB+FR+IT+JP) Italiand were the only ones to blame the Greeks.
Despite this, the Greeks had to apologise and pay compensation to Italy.
27 September, Mussolini withdrew from Corfu.

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24
Q

How did the British and French disagree about the Corfu dispute?

A

British were prepared to intervene and force Mussolini out of Corfu while the French completely disagreed and backed the Italians (probably because Fench troops were at the Ruhr)

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25
Q

What did articles 12 and 15 of the Covenant of the League say?

A

When League members were in dispute and there was a danger of war, members could take the dispute to the council and get a judgment.
(Like in Corfu, 7 September)

26
Q

Why did Britain did not follow Article 16 of the Covenant: “actions could be taken if one side committed an act of war” during the Corfu dispute?

A

Argued that Mussolini’s actions didn’t constitute an act of war.
Weren’t prepared to act without the French.

27
Q

Geneva Protocol, 1924

A

GB+FR drew it up and it said that if two members were in dispute, they would have to ask the League to sort it out + accept the Council’s decision.
However, there was a general election in Britain and the new Conservative Government refused to sign it.

28
Q

Why did the new Conservative Government in Britain, 1914, not sign the Geneva Protocol in 1914?

A

They feared that Britain would be forced to agree to something that wasn’t its own interests.

29
Q

Bulgarian dispute, 1925

A

October 1925: Greek soldiers are killed in the border and so the Greeks invade.
Bulgaria appealed the League
The League called a meeting of the Council in Paris.
The League demanded both countries to stop fighting and Greek forces to withdraw from Bulgaria.
BR+FR agreed (were signing the Locarno treaties).
The League sent observers, who blamed the Greeks and made them pay 45,000 pounds in compensation.
Greeks obeyed.

30
Q

Although they obeyed, what complaint did the Greeks make after the Bulgarian dispute, 1925?

A

They said that there seemed to be one rule for larger states (such as Italy in Corfu) and another one for smaller ones (like themselves)

31
Q

What did the Refugees Committee accomplish?

A

Nansen Passport: made it easier for Refugees to travel.
400,000 prisoners were returned to their home
Bulgarian refugee settlement, 1926
Refugee crisis in Turkey, 1922: it prevented cholera and smallpox in the camps.

32
Q

What limited the Refugees Committee success?

A

It was constantly short of funds + In the 1930s, the authority of the League decreased.

33
Q

What did the ILO accomplish?

A

Banned lead from paint
48-hour week (max)
8 hour day (max)
Limited hours of child labour

34
Q

What limited the ILO’s success?

A

Lack of funds + lack of power: could only ‘name and shame’ countries that didn’t follow their regulations.

35
Q

What did the Health Committee accomplish?

A

Sponsored research into infectious diseases with institutes in Singapore, London and Denmark (helped develop vaccines)
Global campaign to exterminate mosquitoes
Even the USSR took advice on preventing plague in Siberia.

36
Q

What did the Slavery Commission accomplish?

A

Freed 200,000 slaves in British-owned Sierra Leone
Organised raids against slave owners in Burma
Challenged the use of slavery in the building of the Tanganyika railway in Africa (death rate amongst workes decreased form 50% to 4%)

37
Q

What did the League accomplish in terms of Trade and Transport?

A

Recommended marking shipping lanes

Produced an International highway code.

38
Q

What did the League accomplish in terms of drug trade?

A

Blacklisted four large German, Dutch, French and Swiss companies which were involved in illegal drug trade.

39
Q

Washington Conference, 1921

A

USA + GB + FR + JP agree to limit the size of their navy.

40
Q

Rapallo Treaty, 1922

A

USSR + Germany establish diplomatic relations.

41
Q

Dawes Plan, 1924

A

USA lent money to Germany to help it pay its reparations (and therefore GB+FR could pay debts to US)

42
Q

Locarno Treaties, 1925

A

Germany accepts its western borders as settled in the TofV.

greeted specially France + paved the way of Germany into the League

43
Q

Kellog-Briand Pact, 1928

A

65 nations agreed not to use war to settle dispute. (also known as Pact of Paris)

44
Q

Young Plan, 1929

A

Reduced Germany’s payments.

45
Q

What complaint did Germany make about the League and Disarmament?

A

Germany had been forced to disarm while the Washington Conference, 1921 was as far as other countries’ disarmament had ever got.

46
Q

Why did the League want to encourage trade between countries?

A

Because when countries are trading partners, they are less likely to go to war against each other.

47
Q

How did the league create an ‘internationalist mindset’ amongst leaders?

A

Encouraged collaborative thinking, instead of competitive.

Great+small powers sent representatives to the assembly once a year - this helped build international relations.

48
Q

How did the Great Depression, 1929, change the overall international mood?

A

To protect their own industries, countries raised tariffs, which meant the other country would also raise them - ‘tariffs wars’ lead to less trade.
Us loans (like Dawes plan) decreased, so industries didn’t grow = unemployment.
Countries started to rearm to make their industries work and solve unemployment.
Other countries started to rearm because neighbouring countries were rearming.

49
Q

Why did Japan decide to invade Manchuria in 1931?

A

China was in chaos.
Already had Korea - proximity
Owned the South Manchurian Railway
Japan is mainly mountainous so there’s little space for population + farmland
Japan did not have raw materials such as iron and coal
Great Depression: Japan was selling less silk to the USA so had less money to buy raw materials + foods from China + ‘tariff wars’ lead to decreased trade with China

50
Q

How did Japan invade Manchuria?

A

Mukden incident, 1931: Japanese put a bomb on the railway and blame the Chinese.
Japan invades Manchuria, claiming it to be in self-defence and in order to establish order (China was in a state of anarchy)
Japan creates a puppet government at Manchuria

51
Q

What did the League do after the Japanese invasion of Manchuria, 1931?

A

Sent the Lytton Committee to asses the situation.
They went by ship and firstly landed at Japan - it took 1 year.
The Lytton report condemned Japan and claimed that Manchuria should be returned to China (only Japan voted against this report)

52
Q

What did Japan do after the League’s action?

A

March 1933: left the league

April 1933: Invades Jehol province.

53
Q

Why did the League not take action after the Japanese second invasion?

A

Without the USA (Japan’s main trading partner) economic sanctions wouldn’t work.
Britain wanted to keep a good relationship with Japan.
Member countries didn’t agree about banning arm sales to Japan.

54
Q

What was agreed in the Disarmament Conference, 1932?

A

Bombing of Civilian populations was prohibited.
Size of artillery was limited
Tonnage of tanks was limited
Chemical warfare was prohibited

However, planes capable of bombing and the manufacture of chemical weapons were not prohibited.

55
Q

What happened with Germany during the Disarmament Conference, 1932?

A

1932:
- Germany proposed countries to disarm to its level: countries refused and Germany walked out.
- Countries agreed on treating Germany equally and Germany came back to the conference.
1933:
- Hitler became Chancellor of Germany + starts to rearm secretly.
- Hitler promises not to rearm if all countries promised to disarm - British world disarmament plan failed to be approved.
- Hitler walked out of the Conference + League

56
Q

Why did Mussolini want to invade Abyssinia?

A
  • Revenge for the 1896 defeat of Italian troops
  • Fertile lands + minerals
  • Glory + conquest: ‘restoring the Roman Empire’ = distract his population from Great Depression and gain popularity.
57
Q

How did Mussolini invade Abyssinia, 1934-36?

A

1934:
Wal Wal Oasis dispute: Italian+Abyssinian soldiers had a dispute, Mussolini claimed it to be Italian land.
1935:
Mussolini launches an invasion, Abyssinians are inferior to modern warfare.
1936:
Capital of Abyssinia, Addis Ababa, invaded.
9 May 1936, Abyssinia is annexed to Italy

58
Q

What did the League do after Haile Selassie’s appeal about the Wal Wal incident?

A
  • After 8 months from Wal Wal incident, it said that no country could be blamed + proposed giving Mussolini part of Abyssinia: Mussolini rejected.
59
Q

After the 1935 invasion of Abyssinia, what did the League do/considered?

A

Banned arms sales, rubber, metals + loans to Italy and imports from Italy.
Coal+Oil weren’t banned: thought that without the USA they wouldn’t be effective (although a report proved it wrong later on) and would damage the members’ economies (30,000 British coal miners would’ve lost their job)
Suez Canal wasn’t closed although owned by GB+FR. (feared war with Italy)

60
Q

Why did GB+FR not take further action against Mussolini during the Abyssinian Crisis, 1934-36?

A

Were signing Stresa Pact, 1935: Gb+FR+IT promised to defend themselves against Germany so didn’t want to go to war with Italy.
Economy could be damaged (30,000 British coal miners would’ve lost their job)
Thought that without the USA, oil+coal sanctions would’ve been futile (although proved wrong later on)

61
Q

What was the Hoare-Laval Pact, 1935?

A

British foreign minister + French prime minister created a secret plan that would give Mussolini 2/3 OF Abyssinia if he stopped invading.
This plan was leaked to the French Press. It was seen as an act of treachery and both had to resign.