2: Was the League of Nations Successful? - YK Flashcards
What did the main leaders want the LON to be?
Clemenceau: strong organisation with military
Lloyd-George: simple organisation only meeting in emergency (like existing “Conference of Ambassadors”)
Wilson: World parliament where every country was represented in regular meetings (Wilson won)
What was the Covenant?
The set of 26 Articles (rules) which every member agreed to follow, Article 10 was ‘collective security’ - all members would protect other members’ “territory and existing independence”
What were the aims of the LON?
Discourage aggression (encourage disarmament), encourage international cooperation, improve living + working conditions, uphold post-war treaties
How did the LON deal with international disputes?
The Permanent Court of International Justice might make a ruling, the Council could use:
Moral condemnation - decide which country is the aggressor and tell them to stop
Sanctions - members refuse to trade with the aggressor
Military force - members send soldiers to stop aggressor
What problems were there with membership of the League?
No US: made LON much weaker, Congress wouldn’t approve joining LON because German-Americans hated Treaty of Versailles and the League would be bad for US trade + troops
GB + FR had other priorities: GB wanted to rebuild trade not send troops anywhere, FR still worried about Germany
No USSR or Germany: other large countries missing reduced effectiveness of LON
What were two successes of the League of Nations in the 1920s?
Aaland Islands 1921: Sweden and Finland both wanted the Aaland Islands and threatened to go to war, League intervened and said the islands were Finland’s, Sweden accepted the ruling
Bulgaria 1925: Greek troops invaded Bulgaria after soldiers killed on border, Bulgaria appealed to League, League demanded both sides withdraw troops, sent observers who judged in favour of Bulgarians so Greece had to pay £45,000 in compensation (sanctions threatened if not paid). Greece accepted terms but complained
Health Committee: Defeated leprosy, started global campaign against malaria
What were two failures of the League of Nations in the 1920s?
Vilna 1920: Poland seized Lithuanian capital Vilnius, Lithuania appealed to League, League told Poland to leave but Poles didn’t, GB+FR didn’t want to intervene, Vilnius became Vilna (Wilno)
Corfu 1923: While solving a Greek-Albanian border dispute, an Italian diplomat was killed (27th Aug), in retaliation, Mussolini bombarded and occupied Corfu (31st Aug). Greece appealed to League, who ruled against Italy but Mussolini demanded Conference of Ambassadors settle the issue, GB+FR didn’t take action (French troops in Ruhr, GB wouldn’t fight alone) so Conference of Ambassadors ruled against Greece (had to apologise and pay compensation), 27th Sep Italy withdrew from Corfu declaring triumph.
What were some impacts of the Great Depression on the LON?
Economic cooperation severely hindered (loans recalled, output and employment damaged, tariffs), no support for economic sanctions, rise of extremism (Nazis), increasing militarism and aggressive foreign policy
What was the Manchurian crisis?
Japan needed raw materials for its rising population as greater tariffs led to fewer imports, Chinese troops allegedly attacked Japanese railway (Mukden rail incident) so Japan invaded Manchuria (1931), China appealed to LON which after a year made a report condemning Japan, 1933 report voted for 42:1, Japan resigned for League and invaded more of China, no sanctions (USA+USSR not members, other countries didn’t want conflict and loss of trade), showed that League couldn’t stand up to strong powers
What was the Disarmament Conference?
Started Feb ‘32, by Jul ‘32 resolutions prohibiting chemical warfare (and other things) passed but enforcement resolutions didn’t (manufacture of chemical weapons not banned), Jul ‘32 Germany suggests all other countries disarm then walks out because they don’t, Dec ‘32 countries agree to treat Germany equally (next month Germany returns), Oct ‘33 Hitler leaves conference (and LON)
What was the Abyssinian crisis?
Dec ‘34 dispute between Italian and Abyssinian troops over Wal-Wal oasis, Mussolini wanted glory so he prepared troops, Abyssinian emperor Selassie appealed to LON, Italy invaded Oct ‘35 with modern weapons (planes, tanks, gas) against ill-equipped Abyssinians and won May ‘36, League slow to put limited sanctions on rubber and metals like tin, didn’t ban oil or passage through Suez Canal, foreign ministers started Hoare-Laval Pact giving Italy 2/3 Abyssinia without consulting Selassie or LON but it was leaked and seen as serious betrayal
