Key Terms League of Nations Flashcards
Abyssinian crisis
In 1935, Mussolini was looking for glory, a bigger empire and was eager to go to war. Italy invaded Abyssinia located near Eritrea (part of the Italian empire) and the League failed to deal with this.
Disarmament
Reduction or withdrawal of military force & weapons. Disarmament Conference produced resolutions to prohibit bombing of civilian populations, limit the size of artillery and prohibit chemical warfare but in the end, failed.
Economic Depression
A sustained, long-term downturn in economic activity. It is a more severe downturn than an economic recession and usually lasts two or more years.
Isolationism
A policy of remaining apart from the (mainly political) affairs or interests of other countries. This was a belief that a country should not be involved with other countries by not making agreements or working together with them - what America did when they didn’t join the League of Nations.
Manchurian Crisis
When Japan wanted solve their economic problems by building a empire to provide resources and to market their goods. Japan invaded Manchuria and the League failed to deal with it.
Wall Street Crash
Was the US stock-market crash in 1929 when the value of shares on the Wall Street Stock Exchange in New York fell so low that many people lost all their money. This precipitated a worldwide collapse of share values and triggered the Great Depression.
Article 10
An important article in the Convenant of the League of Nations that meant collective security and was put in place to prevent war. The members of the League were meant to work together to protect each other against external aggression and if there was a serious threat, the Council would advise on what to do next.
Assembly
It was the League’s parliament and every country had a representative in the Assembly. It voted on admitting new members, appointing temporary members of the Council, the budget of the League and other ideas put forward by Council. All decisions had to be unanimous.
Collective security
The cooperation of several countries in an alliance to strengthen the security of each and maintain peace.
Commissions
A group of people entrusted by a government or other official body (such as the League) with authority to do something. The League has differed commissions for different aims such as Mandates Commission and Slavery Commission.
Conference of Ambassadors
This was another organisation that worked closely with the League. It was not a formal part of the League but it was an informal meeting of the more important countries in the League. Although it was not part of the League it often made decisions and because it consisted of many of the League’s more important members, what it agreed happened. They sorted out Corfu crisis in Italy’s favour in 1923.
Council
Part of the League - a smaller group than the assembly and consisted of permanent members and temporary members voted which were elected every 3 years by assembly. It’s aim was to sort out disputes between members and the council could be stopped from acting if a permanent member used its veto and all other members agreed.
Convenant
A formal agreement or coming together - like a contract.
Military force
Forces that are authorised to use deadly force or weapons to support the interest of the state and some or all of its citizens.
Moral Condemnation
When the Council could decide which country was to blame, which country was the ‘aggressor.’
