League Of Nations Flashcards
What were the main aims of the league of Nations
To try to keep peace
1.if a member quarrelled with another member, they should go to the league to try to settle the problem rather than using force.
- Help any member that was attacked in defiance of this agreement, this could be through:
- Condemning the aggressor and make them feel guilty
- imposing economic sanctions
- join forces with other members to impose military sanctions
What were the sections of the league
The assembly The council The International Court of Justice The Secretariat Agencies and commissions e.g. slavery committee
Describe the assembly of the league
The assembly met once annually and each member country had one vote. The assembly could:
- Recommend actions to the league council
- Fix the league’s budget
- Elect nonpermanent members to the council
Describe the council of the league
Consisted of four permanent members (Britain, France, Italy and Japan) and nonpermanent members (chosen by the assembly)
- on average met five times annually
- dealt with emergencies
- unanimous vote needed for all decisions
Describe the International Court of Justice
- Set up in 1921 in the Netherlands
- 15 judges from 15 member states
- Dealt with legal disputes between countries when requested to get involved
Describe the Secreteriat of the league
– Insured all administrative work carried out efficiently.
Consisted of Secretary general and civil servant
– Prepared reports, kept records, translated documents
Describe the agencies and commissions of the league
– Different organisations for different issues
Health committee
International labour organisation
Slavery committee
What were the weaknesses of the league
Membership:
- Please had 42 members, and this increased over the years but it did not include certain key countries:
1) defeated nations, such as Germany and Austria, who were not invited
2) USSR, still distrusted because of communist government
3) USA-Woodrow Wilson wanted USA to be involved but Congress voted against it. USA and had period of isolationism did not want to be involved in European affairs.
What with the faults of Britain and France in the league
They were the main countries but had too much power and rarely worked well together
What with the security issues with the league
-The league was successful in dealing with disputes in smaller countries
– Theoretically when dealing with larger countries they could raise arm forces from member states, but in reality countries were reluctant to do this
-League was undermined by the security issues
Was the league too idealistic
– The league with an idealistic attempt to try to avoid another war
-idealism was also a weakness
All member states had equal voting rights
-All decisions in both assembly and council had to be unanimous:
» this was fine when members agreed but not when they didn’t
Successes of the league in the 1920s
The Aaland Islands , 1920 Upper Silesia 1921 Greek Bulgarian Ward 1925 Refugee committee Drugs committee Disarmament commission 1921
What with the failures of the league in the 1920s and describe them
Vilna 1920
Corfu 1923
Describe the failure of the league in Vilna
Vilna 1920
-Both new states of Poland and Lithuania claimed this town
-Used to be capital of Lithuania now mainly inhabited by poles
-League last post to withdraw and allow people of Vilna to decide on its own future
– Conference of ambassadors awarded Vilna to polls
-League had been ignored and bypassed
Describe the failure of the league in Corfu
Corfu 1923:
– Five Italian surveyors working for league killed on Greek side
-Mussolini, Italian dictator demanded compensation from Greek government. Greeks refused
-Mussolini bombarded and occupied Greek island of Corfu
-League council wanted to condemn Mussolini’s actions but France and Britain would not allow i,t instead put pressure on Greeks to except Mussolini’s demands
-only once Greeks had paid and accepted Mussolini’s demands, did he withdraw
What were the origins of the league of Nations, when did it become official, where was it headquarters
It was written into the Treaty of Versailles, it was one of Woodrow Wilson’s 14 points
Became official in January 1920
Geneva, in Switzerland (Switzerland known for neutrality)
Describe the Aaland islands in terms of the league
Aaland Islands, 1920:
- Islands belong to Finland, but sweden claimed them.
- referred dispute to league.-league decided islands should got to Finland but inhabitants should have their way of Swedish life protected
- both countries agreed
Describe the Leagues success of Upper Silesia
Upper Silesia, 1921
- according to TofV this area could vote on whether to be part of Germany or Poland
- in the plebiscite in March 1921, 700,000 voted for Germany, 480,000 for Poland
- League shared area, most planned to Germany, industrial area to Poland, both countries agreed.
Describe the Leagues success in the Greek-Bulgarian war
- fighting between two countries
- Greek army invaded Bulgaria which appealed to the league.
- League council ordered both sides to stop fighting
- found Greece at fault and fined them
- both countries agreed
Describe the successes of the refugee committee and the drugs committee in the league of Nations
Refugee committee: waste money, found transport, designed houses and provided medical aid. Helped over 425,000 prisoners to return home
Drugs committee: tightened up customs, warned people about dangers of drugs
Describe the success of the disarmament commission of the league
Disarmament conference 1921
- Organised at Washington Naval conference
- naval powers agreed to reduce number of warships
What with the Locarno treaties of 1925
– Germany signed these treaties with Britain, France, Italy and Belgium. All agreed not to go to war over disputes. The Germans agreed:
- to accept borders given to them in 1919
- changes of borders of Poland and Czechoslovakia would not take place by force, only negotiations
What was the Kellogg-Briand Pact
1928
– Signed by 45 nations including Germany, agreed never to go to war again
– Very unrealistic
– Pointless
Why did international relations collapse in the 1930s
– Aggression, leaders of Italy Japan and Germany tried to improve conditions at home by being aggressive towards other countries.
-The great depression
-isolationism of USA
The rise of dictators – many countries blamed their government for their poverty and lack of work so that they fell for dictators
-failure of disarmament
-failure of LoN
Describe the great depression
Collapse of the American stock market in 1929 lead to:
- collapse of international trade
- closure of banks, factories and businesses
- 25 million out of work
- economic rivalry
- tax on foreign goods
Describe the failure of disarmament in the 1930s
Disarmament conference of 1932-3 reps of 60 different countries came to discuss disarming.
-Germany wanted everyone to disarm to her level. France did not agree
-conference achieved nothing.
– Hitler left conference and the League of nations. Germany began rearming
When was the Manchurian crisis
1931–3
Why did Japan invaded
– Had been badly hit by great depression
– Exports fell by 50%, could not afford to buy import she needed
– Country also overcrowded.
-military leaders believed Japan should expand for more living space and raw materials
Why did Japan choose to invade Manchuria
Belonged to China which was very weak at this time
-That Japanese argued that Manchuria would act as buffer against communism
– Japan clean special interests in Manchuria – they ran the South Manchurian railway and controlled some cities on this route
What happened at the Manchurian crisis
– The Mukden incident: on 18 September, On this night there was an explosion on South Manchurian Railway.
– Japanese claimed Chinese with sabotaging them.
– Japanese used this excuse to fully invade.
– replace leader with Japanese puppet leader. Chinese emperor PuYi
What did the league of nations do in a reaction to the Manchurian crisis
– China asked league of Nations for help
– The league condemned Japan’s actions and ordered the withdrawal of Japanese troops.
– Government agreed, army refused.
– Appointed Litton commission to report, took over one year to report, the report found the Japanese guilty
– The league invited Japan to hand Manchuria back and all members were to not recognise Manchuria
-Japanese government kept Manchuria, they left the league in 1933.
The league did not stop Japanese aggression.
-Japan then occupied Chinese city Jekyll
Why did the league of Nations fail in Manchuria
- Members on willing to stop trading with Japan, depression already damaged well trade, this would further.
- Great powers on willing to use military attack (Britain worried Japan would attack its far east colonies.)
- USA most powerful country with interests in the far east, sent representative to join Lytton commission but nothing more.
What were the results of the crisis in Manchuria
1) first major failure of League: showed it was weak in force of great power
2)world learnt it paid to be aggressive: encouraged acts of aggression
3)Japan continued aggression
4) Japanese withdrew from League, became closer to dictators
» formed anti-Comintern pact with Germany and Italy between 1936-7
When did the Abyssinian crisis take place
1935–6
Why did Italy (ruled by dictator Mussolini) invade Abyssinia
1) Italy suffered from Great Depression, unemployment rate rose
2) Italy already had empire in North East Africa
3) chance for revenge – Italy had failed to invade in 1896.
4) Mussolini jealous of Hitler rearming, wanted to show he was still the main dictator
Describe the Abyssinian invasion
– December 1934, Italian troops provoked clash with Abyssinians at Wal Wal as excuse for war.
-October 1935: Italy finally invaded.
Abyssinian forces were weak against modern Italian army but it still took a long time to conquer.
What was the leagues reaction to the Abyssinian crisis between December 1934 and October 1935
December 1934: league offered to act as a judge in dispute. Rejected by Italy
October at 1935: Emperor of Abyssinia appeal to the league for help
- the league condemned the invasion
- imposed economic sanctions
- non-league members, eg. US and Germany continued to trade with Italy
- Mussolini admitted if they had not it would have stopped the invasion in a week.
What happened in the Abyssinian crisis between December 1935 and July 1936
December 1935: the Hoare-Laval pact, Mussolini would get parts of Abyssinia if he withdrew troops. Plans were leaked, pact was abandoned
March 1936: oil embargo threatened, no impact, Abyssinia fully invaded.
June 1936: Emperor of Abyssinia addressed assembly calling for help against Italian aggression. No additional league action
July 1936: sanctions against Italy abandoned
Why did the league fail in Abyssinia
– Successful action depended on Britain and France. They did not want to take strong measures because:
» they were frightened harsh actions could lead to war with Italy
» wanted Italy as an ally – not to push him towards Hitler
» attempt at compromise (pact), showed how weak they were.
What were the results of the Abyssinian crisis
– League seen as weak
– Countries began to rearm
– 1937 Italy left league
Why did the league of Nations fail
– Organisation of the league was a weakness
» met in frequently so delays to decisions. Needed a unanimous vote
-important nations absent: >>USA never joined >>Germany 1926-33 >>Japan left 1933 >>Italy left 1937 >>USSR joined 1934, expelled 1938
Sanctions ineffective, especially without USA and following Great Depression
League did not have it’s own military force to use against aggressor
Countries afraid to act unless their own interests at stake
»sometimes acted against League decisions e.g. Hoare-Laval pact
