League of Nations Flashcards
Principles of the league
- Leading powers were the Allied nations after WW1
- All decisions had to be unanimous
- League can: investigate, moral condemnation, impose sanctions, organize military response
- Attack on one is attack on all = “collective security” (Article 10)
- League had no army
Aims of the League
- Discourage aggression
- Encourage international cooperation and honorable relations between nations
- Encourage the improvement of living and working conditions around the world
- Encourage disarmament “to the lowest point consistent with national safety”
Structure of the League
- Secretariat
- Assembly
- Council
- International Labour Organization
- Permanent court of International Justice
Secretariat
- Kept records
- Civil service
- Advantage: body of experts making reports
- Disadvantage: no action necessarily taken
Assembly
- All countries
- Met once a year
- Recommends action to the Council - - Decisions had to be unanimous.
- Advantage: all countries represented, recommended action
- Disadvantage: unanimous decisions, only met once every year
Council
- Countries in the Council had the power to veto decisions
- Met five times a year
- Power:
Moral condemnation
Economic + financial sanctions
Military force of countries in the Council – Did not have its own army - Advantage: resolve things through discussion
- Disadvantage: veto power, vague language
International Labour Organization (ILO)
- Improve working conditions
- Advantage: improve working conditions
- Disadvantage: No action necessary taken
Permanent court of International Justice
- Had the responsibility of settling disputes.
- Made up of judges.
- Advantage: resolve border disputes
- Disadvantage: no action necessarily taken
Weaknesses of the league
- Did not have its own military force.
- Did not include the USA
- Had no way of making sure countries followed its rulings.
- Too slow to act
- Self interest of main powers
Why didn’t the USA join the league?
- Isolation: did not want to get involved in foreign affairs
- Money: not get involved in using/spending money that was not for the country
- American soldiers: did not want them to die
- German Immigrants: many of them were in the USA, they did not like the TofV of LofN
- Empires: did not support
Explain Vilna. (What year? What country? What happened? Successful?)
Polish – Lithuania (1920 – 29)
- Poland attacked Lithuania by capturing Vilna (capital)
- League protested to Poland, Poland did not obey
- Britain and France were no prepared to act
- NOT SUCCESSFUL
Explain Aaland Islands dispute. (What year? What country? What happened? Successful?)
1921
- Finland and Sweden disputed over Aaland Islands
- Court decided island should go to Finland
- Decision respected
- SUCCESSFUL
Explain Upper Silesia. (What year? What country? What happened? Successful?)
- Dispute between Germany and Poland
- League organized plebiscite to let people decide
- SUCCESSFUL
Explain Corfu. (What year? What country? What happened? Successful?)
1923
- Albania and Greece border dispute
- Italian general sent to investigate was killed
- Italians blamed Greece and bombarded them
- League morally condemned Italy and said that Greece would pay if found guilty
- Italy complained in conference of ambassador and threatened to leave the League
- Greece had to pay regardless
- UNSUCCESFUL: unfair, covenant was broke
Explain Bulgaria. (What year? What country? What happened? Successful?)
1925
- Greeks invaded Bulgaria over border dispute
- League sent observers and Greece was at fault and had to pay
- SUCCESFUL
