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)