Failures Flashcards
What happened with the Manchurian Crisis?
Japan was badly hit by the depression. It’s population was growing and couldn’t afford to import food. It wanted to build up its empire. They decided to invade Manchuria to take their raw materials and force them to buy Japanese goods.
1931 - Japan invaded Manchuria. Blew up own section of railway and blamed China for it. Claimed they had to take over Manchuria for own protection. Self-defence!
China asked for LON help.
LON sent Lord Lytton to study problem - took a year!
1933 Feb - ordered Japan to leave Manchuria. Japan ignored them, left LON!
What were the consequences of the Manchurian Crisis?
CONSEQUENCES:
LON was humiliated, showed their limited powers and reputation was damaged. It led to Japan occupation of China for WW2.
What happened with the Abyssinian Crisis?
1896 - Italian troops tried to invade Abyssia - defeated by army of tribesmen. Mussolini wanted revenge for humiliation. Had his eye on the fertile and mineral wealth of Abyssinia.
1934 Dec - Dispute between Italian and Ethiopian soldiers at Wal-Wal oasis (80km inside Abyssinia). Mussolini claimed that they were actually attacking Italian territory. Demanded apology and prepared his army.
1935 Oct - began invasion. Air crafts, tanks, poison gas!
Abyssinian emperor Haile Selassie appealed to LON.
(Ask about the Suez Canal): Suez Canal was built to connect the Mediterranean to the Red Sea, owned by Britain and France. They didn’t close it so they wouldn’t upset Mussolini. However, members of LON were banned from importing/selling goods/weapons to Italy - as well as Abyssinia. This left them defenceless against Italy!
However, they could still sell oil/coal. If they couldn’t, Mussolini would’ve failed his invasion.
1935 Dec - Britain and France met with Italy in secret, forming the Hoare-Laval Pact. They agreed that Italy could have areas of Abyssinia. However, this was leaked to the press. They did not discuss this with Abyssinia and it was not their land to give!
What were the consequences of the Abyssinian Crisis?
CONSEQUENCES:
It pushed Italy to work with Germany with the Rome-Berlin Axis Pact in 1936. LON lost Italy as an ally against Germany.
List reasons as to why the LON failed.
- They had no official army.
- Plans were too ambitious.
- The League only met once a year.
- Decisions had to be unanimous and the Council could veto proposals - decision making was slow.
- Weren’t enough people to carry out decisions.
- Structure was complex.
- America’s President created the LON but America wouldn’t join.
- German and USSR couldn’t join.
- Trade sanctions did not work - countries could still trade with places like USA.
- Great Depression meant countries were self-concerned.
- The Depression caused people to turn to extremists (Hitler and Mussolini).
- LON was slow to act against Manchurian Crisis.
- Britain and France too worried about keeping Mussolini as an ally against Hitler, rather than the Abyssinian Invasion.
