Key Arguments for Failure of the League of Nations - Conflict and Tension

Question 1

the main four reasons for failure of the League

Answer 1

• actions of Britain and France
• the membership of the League
• the failure of sanctions
• organisation of the League

Question 2

actions of Britain and France in general

Answer 2

• were selfish
• put themselves first
• their relationship was not strong - they kept falling out over how Germany was being treated

Question 3

actions of Britain and France in Manchuria

Answer 3

• were reluctant to get involved in a conflict on the other side of the world
• to some extent Japan as ‘restoring order’ in Manchuria
• Britain sent Lord Lytton but he was too slow in writing his report allowing Japan to complete their invasion

Question 4

action of Britain and France in Abyssinia

Answer 4

• refused to take strong action against Mussolini in case he sided with Hitler
• ended up ‘appeasing’ Italy instead (for example the Hoare Laval Pact)
• refused to close the Suez Canal
• both had huge African empires so couldn’t really object to Italy aspiring to do the same

Question 5

the membership of the League in general

Answer 5

• never had all major nations in the League at the same time
• Russia and the USA was missing from the start
• whenever a ‘bully’ in the League was confronted they simply left, making effective action difficult

Question 6

the membership of the League in Manchuria

Answer 6

• Russia was missing at this time
• as the closest nation to Japan they could have applied pressure on them to stop
• sanctions would have been more effective
• USA was one of Japan’s main trading partner

Question 7

the membership of the League in Abyssinia

Answer 7

• the absence of the USA made economic sanctions less effective and made Britain and France less likely to push for further sanctions

Question 8

the failure of sanctions in general

Answer 8

• depended on the goodwill of all nations
• this worked in the 1920s but not in the 1930s when nations were suffering from the Depression

Question 9

the failure of sanctions in Manchuria

Answer 9

• Britain was unwilling to risk its trade with Japan by imposing economic sanctions
• other members refused to ban arms sales in case Japan retaliated
• others felt there was no point as the USA (not a LoN member) was Japan’s main trading partner anyway

Question 10

the failure of sanctions in Abyssinia

Answer 10

• Italy could still trade with USA and this meant that Britain and France unwilling to impose economic sanctions
• Britain and France didn’t want to upset Mussolini in case he allied with Hitler
• when sanctions ere eventually imposed, they did not ban trade in coal, steel or oil needed to attack

Question 11

organisation of the League in general

Answer 11

• was flawed from the start
• no army
• needed everyone to work together for collective security to work
• too much dependence on permanent members of council
• too easy to leave
• weaknesses showed as soon as bigger members became aggressive

Question 12

organisation of the League in Manchuria

Answer 12

• when Japan ignored the League’s warnings, the lack of the LoN army meant there was nothing it could do if Britain and France didn’t want to act

Question 13

organisation of the League in Abyssinia

Answer 13

• the permanent members of the Council were unwilling and unable to act
• the Abyssinians pleaded to the Assembly but it was powerless to do anything
• lack of a LoN army (and the ban on weapons sales) left the Abyssinians defenceless