Cause - The Failure Of The League Of Nations Flashcards
Who formed the League of Nations
Woodrow Wilson
Why was the League of Nations formed
Was set up because it features in one of Woodrow Wilson’s 14 points. Wilson believed that the existence of a collective power would prevent another world war
When was the League of Nations formed
10th January 1920
How many countries joined the League
42
Who wasn’t allowed in the league
The countries that were defeated in WW1 and the Russians since they were Communist
What did America do after the League was formed
America did not join the League since he could not get the support of congress. This was because the US public was angry about the American death toll (100,000) and because they thought it would tie them to more conflict that may occur on the other side of the world. This was known as the American Policy of Isolationism
What was the League’s main Strength and idea
Collective Security (strength in numbers).
How was naval superiority handed to Japan?
The US, Great Britain, Japan, France and Italy on Feburary 6, 1922 agreed to The-Five-Power Naval Limitation Treaty, which reduced their navies
When did Japan decide it to be the best time to strike Manchuria?
When the US was distracted with the pain of the Great Depression (1931)
What was the Japanese elected government not informed of before it taking place?
When the Japanese forces in Manchuria seized the capital
What was the League’s response initially?
To condem Japan almost universally
What was Japan’s response to the League’s initial backlash?
Japan said that they could not accept the report made by the assembly. They then walked out and officially left the League
Why did Japan invade Manchuria (what was going wrong there)
The Great Depression harshly struck Japan as well, and their largest trade (the silk trade) was not being profitable since trading partners were looking to support home economies. The land was also very poor, and found it increasingly hard to feed their expanding population
Why did Japan invade Manchuria (their values)
Japan was a very proud nation and looked down on China since they had beaten them badly in the 1st Sino-Japanese war. They also felt they were given a bad deal by their Allied companions at the end of WW1
When did the Manchurian Incident happen
18th Spetember 1931
How did the League fail Manchuria
Japan just walked out and suffered no reprocutions, making it look like a joke
What did Japan rename Manchuria + what Manchuria became
Manchukuo (made it a puppet state - completely dependent on an outside power and follows its orders)
How the League failing Manchuria effected Europe
When the League did nothing, it completely underminded the idea of collective security.
Before their failure with Manchuria, Hitler and Mussolini were worried about how the League may react to them if Germany disregarded the TOV, however when they did nothing they were filled with the confidence that they could do anything and the League would not interfere
Who was Mussolini
The first fascist leader in Europe, taking control of Italy in 1922. He dreamed of Italy returning to its former greatness by establishing a large empire
Why did Mussolini invade Abyssinia
Italy already had a number of small colonies in North Africa and so Mussolini looked to expand Italy’s influence and it’s ‘spazo vitale’ by invading the independent African nation of Abyssinia
What is Abyssinia today
Ethiopia
When did Italy first attempt to annex Abyssinia and what was it called
1895 - 1896 and it was called the First Italo-Ethiopian War
What was the result of Italy’s first attempt of conquering Abyssinia
Their attempt was unsuccessful as the Abyssinian King Menelik ll was able to hand the Italians a humiliating defeat after devastating their army at the battle of Adwa
Why did Italy fail so badly at annexing Abyssinia
The Italians heavily underestimated the Abyssinians. Menlik ll secured rifles from Russia and capitalised on using superior numbers of troops (he commanded an army of 200,000 men) landing devastating blows on the italian units that had become isolated in an attempted assault
What did Mussolini do that was contridictory
Mussolini publically renounced war whilst at the same time built up his forces in Africa in preparation for an invasion of Abyssinia
When did the Italian army invade Abyssinia
October 1935
When did the capital fall in Abyssinia
Addis Ababa fell in May 1936
Why was Abyssinia not able to fight back as affectively as before
The Abyssinians could not hope to stand up to a modern army - they were equipped with pre-WW1 rifles and little else. Italians used armoured vehicles and even mustard gas in their attack
Who was removed from the throne when the Abyssinian capital fell
Haile Selassie was removed from the throne and replaced by the king of Italy, Victor Emmanuel
When did Haile Selassie appeal to the League and how did he do so
1935 - In his speech he stated “I assert that the problem submitted to the assembly today is much wider than a question of settlement of Italian aggression; it is collective security, it is the very existence of the League”
What was the League’s response to Abyssinia
The League was slow to react, but it condemned the attack as it did with the Japanese attack on Manchuria. This time however the League also went further; it imposed sanctions on Italy
What were the sanctions imposed on Italy
Gold and textiles. However Italy was able to cover these. Importantly sanctions on oil were never enforced which would have had an immediate impact on their ability to conduct the war
Why were the sanctions so weak?
Britain and France did not want to upset Mussolini and lead him towards an alliance with Hitler, war was to be avoided at all costs
What was the Hoare-Laval Pact
A secret pact Britain and France formed in December 1935. It was designed by the nation’s foreiyn ministers and the plan determined to carve Abyssinia into 3 parts, giving two thirds of the country to Italy. The plan however was leaked and public outrage in Britain meant that it was scrapped
What was the first important effect on Europe the Abyssinian crisis had
The sanctions annoyed Mussolini and he increasingly looked to Hitler for support, driving Europe into two opposing camps
What was the second important effect on Europe the Abyssinian crisis had
Following from the League’s faliure to act on Japanese aggression the failure of the League to take action on Abyssinia proved to Hitler that the League was weak and that collective security would fail. This led him to persue a more aggressive foreign policy to expand Germany’s borders
