Conflict and Tension - P1 Flashcards
The Big 3
Georges Clemenceau - France - Germany to pay for everything
Woodrow Wilson - USA - 14 points
David Lloyd George - UK - fair, keep trade alive
Background to League of Nations
Set up in 1920
Originally Woodrow Wilsons idea but congress voted against it
Based in Geneva, Switzerland
The leading members were Japan, UK, France and Italy
Aims of the League
Stop War
Improve peoples lives
disarmament
Enforce TOV
What powers could the League Implement
Condemnation
Economic Sanctions
Armed Forces
Political successes of LON
1920 - Aaland island, dispute between Sweden and Finland
1921 - Upper Silesia - Poland and Germany plebiscite (2/3 to Germany)
1925 - Bulgaria invaded by Greece due to border disputes, league ordered Greece to withdraw
1925 - Locarno Treaties - respect new borders
1928 - Kellog-Briand Pact - 65 countries no war
Social Successes of LON
Labour organisation - minimum wages and limits to working hours
Health organisation - leprosy, malaria, plague
Slave Commission - freed 200,000
Refugee Committee - 500,000 refugees and prisoners of war freed
Members of LON
Started with 42 members - all had supported allies
US congress voted to not join
Axis not allowed to begin with
Germany not allowed until 1924
USSR not allowed until 1934
Japan and Germany left in 1933
Structure of LON
Primary Assembly - met annually, decisions had to be unanimous
Council - Britain, France, Italy and Japan plus some others met 4/5 times per year
Health committee - improve health
International justice - solve disputes
Slavery committee - end slavery
Refugee committee - aid refugees
Secretariat - meant to organise league, but failed.
Worldwide impacts of Great Depression
USA recalled all loans, mostly damaging to Germany
Worldwide poverty
Even affected British and French economy
Japan had less money to buy things - Manchuria crisis
Italy faced huge economic issues - Abyssinia
Minor League Failures
1920 - Poland invaded Vilna, the leagues demands were ignored
1923 - Italy invaded Corfu, Greece, Italy was sided with by the league.
1923 - France and Belgium invaded the Ruhr, League was powerless
Manchuria Crisis - Timeline
Sep 1931 - Japan invades Manchuria, Japan wanted more materials, railway line explosion used as an excuse
1931-32 - League investigates, China appealed for help, Lord Lytton sent over
1933 - Japan ignores the League - Lytton found his report in favour of China, League ordered Japan to leave, Japan ignored this and left the League, Japan invaded further
FAILURE
French and British self interest
Absent powers - USA
Ineffective sanctions
lack of armed force
Unfair treaty
Reaching decisions too slowly
Everyone had to agree
