League of Nations - Failures

Question 1

List 3 weaknesses of the League of Nations

Answer 1

The 3 most powerful countries of the world weren’t involved (USA, Russia, Germany)

Had no armed forces so it had to rely on the co-operation of its members to carry out decisions. Without the USA, the League had to rely on Britain and France and if they didn’t act the League would be powerless.

Economic sanctions were difficult to enforce as member countries were very unwilling to stop trading with an aggressor as it would damage their own trade.

Question 2

What year did Hitler withdraw from the League of Nations?

Answer 2

1933

Question 3

What did Britain do in 1935 to further undermine the Leagues power?

Answer 3

They signed a separate naval agreement with Germany in order to keep the German navy within 35% of the British Navy.

Question 4

Why did the League fail with disarmament in the 1930s?

Answer 4

Britain didn’t want to lose its naval power.

Lack of own armed forced made people decide to not disarm theirs.

Germany began to rebuild its armies.

Question 5

What else did the League fail with in the 1930s?

Answer 5

Manchuria 1931-33

Abyssinia 1935

Question 6

Why did Japan invade Manchuria?

Answer 6

Source of a lot of Japans imported material

Believed only way they could solve economic problems and show it was still a strong nation was through expansion.

Question 7

What did Japan do in Manchuria?

Answer 7

Set up their own government - Manchukuo

Question 8

How did the Chinese respond to Japan setting up their own government in Manchuria?

Answer 8

Appealed to the LofN for assistance.

Question 9

How did the League respond to Chinese appeal?

Answer 9

Sent a commission to investigate Japanese aggression.

Lytton commission demanded Japanese withdraw. But it was too late.

Neither Britain nor France were prepared to support the league over Manchuria as they were preoccupied by the effects of the depression.

Question 10

What happened in Abyssinia in 1935?

Answer 10

Italian force, led by Mussolini, invaded Abyssinia.

Leader of Abyssinia appealed to the LofN for assistance.

Question 11

How did the League respond to to the Leader of Abyssinia appealing for help?

Answer 11

Imposed economic sanctions BUT ineffective as Italy was still allowed to buy oil for her tanks.

Mussolini got away as Britain and France were insure about offending Mussolini in fear he would join forces w/ Hitler. Yet this did’t work as Mussolini signed the Rome Berlin axis (friendship treaty) with Germany in 1936.

Question 12

Why did Italy invade Abyssinia? (4)

Answer 12

Empire

Manchuria

Unfinished business

The Depression

Question 13

Why did Italy invade Abyssinia based on Empire? (2)

Answer 13

Mussolini wanted big empire to rival with British and French Empires.

Would also provide Italy with resources.

Question 14

Why did Italy invade Abyssinia based on Manchuria?

Answer 14

Mussolini watched Japan take Manchuria while League did nothing so he thought he could get away with it

Question 15

Why did Italy invade Abyssinia based on Unfinished business?

Answer 15

In 1896 Italy failed to take over Abyssinia and had destroyed the entire Italian army in doing so.

Question 16

Why did Italy invade Abyssinia based on The Depression?

Answer 16

Italy was a poor farming nation and needed materials and resources from other countries to build it’s economy.

Question 17

Why did the League fail overall in the 1930s?

Answer 17

French and British interest wasn’t enough.

Absent powers, like Italy.

Ineffectiveness of sanctions.

Lack of armed forces.

Unfair Treaty of Versailles.

Reaching decisions too slowly.

Economic sanctions didn’t work.

Question 18

When was the Anschluss and what happened under it?

Answer 18

Germany united with Austria

1938

Question 19

What happened under the agreement at Munich?

Answer 19

Averted the outbreak of war but gave Czechoslovakia away to Stalin.

Question 20

What came under appeasement?

Answer 20

Anschluss

Munich Agreement & Sudetenland

Question 21

Was appeasement a triumph or sell-out?

Answer 21

Initially = Triumph as Chamberlain was greeted by cheering crowds when he returned to Britain.

Later that year - majority didn’t think it would stop Hitler

Question 22

How did Chamberlain respond to Hitler invading Czechoslovakia?

Answer 22

Saw this as a step too far, so he and Britain told Hitler that if he invaded Poland they would declare war.

Question 23

WW2

Answer 23

Hitler invaded Poland on 1st September 1939 but Britain and France declared war on Germany on the 2nd September.