Part 3 : the collapse of the League of Nations

Question 1

What caused the Wall Street Crash in October 1929?

Answer 1

• Over-speculation: Stockbrokers predicted perpetual growth in the US economy during the 1920s, leading to inflated stock prices.
• Over-borrowing: Many Americans, including working-class citizens, bought shares on credit.
• Signs of decline: By October 1929, share prices began falling, causing panic

Question 2

What happened during the Wall Street Crash?

Answer 2

• Black Thursday (24th October 1929): Shareholders rushed to sell 13 million shares, crashing prices.
• Shares worth $20,000 dropped to $1,000 in hours.
• By 30th October 1929, investors lost $4 billion.

Question 3

What was the impact of the Wall Street Crash?

Answer 3

• The world’s GDP sharply declined between 1929 and 1932.
• Industrial production fell by 38%, showing the devastating effect of the Depression on global trade and employment.

Question 4

How did trade policies worsen the Great Depression?

Answer 4

• Countries introduced tariffs, reducing international trade.
• This deepened the global economic decline.

Question 5

How did the Crash lead to a global depression?

Answer 5

• The USA recalled loans from Europe (Dawes and Young Plans), devastating countries like Germany.
• World trade slowed as countries introduced protectionist tariffs to protect their own economies.
• Unemployment soared, fuelling poverty, extremism, and militarism.

Question 6

How did the Depression weaken the League of Nations?

Answer 6

• Weakened funding: Countries prioritised domestic issues, reducing their contributions to the League’s commissions.
• Rise of extremism: Poverty made citizens turn to radical leaders like Hitler and Mussolini, who rejected League principles.
• Erosion of cooperation: Countries focused on self-interest rather than collective security, undermining League authority.

Question 7

How did militarism rise as a response to the Depression?

Answer 7

• Countries like Germany rearmed, violating the Treaty of Versailles, to create jobs and restore pride.
• Japan and Italy expanded their empires to secure resources.
• Britain and France delayed rearmament until the late 1930s, focusing instead on recovery.

Question 8

What caused Japan to invade Manchuria?

Answer 8

• Economic crisis: The Depression crippled Japan’s economy, which lacked natural resources.
• Existing control: Japan already controlled the South Manchurian Railway and had business interests in the region.
• Desire for empire: Manchuria offered fertile land, raw materials, and national pride.

Question 9

What were the key events of the Manchurian crisis?

Answer 9

• September 1931: Japan staged the Mukden Incident, blaming Chinese forces for sabotaging the South Manchurian Railway.
  Japan used this as an excuse to invade Manchuria.
• By March 1932, Japan had renamed the region Manchukuo and established a puppet government.

Question 10

How did the League of Nations respond?

Answer 10

• The League sent the Lytton Commission, which issued a report condemning Japan in February 1933—18 months after the invasion.
• Japan ignored the report, left the League, and maintained control of Manchuria.

Question 11

What geographical factors made Manchuria a target for Japanese invasion?

Answer 11

• Proximity to Japan: Manchuria bordered Korea, which Japan controlled since 1905.
  Rich resources: Manchuria had fertile farmland and mineral wealth.
• Control of infrastructure: Japan already owned the South Manchurian Railway, making invasion logistically feasible.

Question 12

By when had Japan fully occupied Manchuria?

Answer 12

By March 1932, Japan controlled all of Manchuria and renamed it Manchukuo.

Question 13

Why was the Manchurian crisis significant?

Answer 13

• It exposed the League’s inability to act decisively, as Britain and France avoided sanctions to protect their trade interests.
• Japan’s defiance encouraged other aggressive powers, like Germany and Italy, to challenge the League.

Question 14

What were the League’s steps in responding to Japan’s invasion of Manchuria?

Answer 14

• Investigated the invasion and issued the Lytton Report (1933), condemning Japan.
• The report took 18 months, allowing Japan to solidify control.
• Japan ignored the report, withdrew from the League, and faced no sanctions.

Question 15

Why was the League’s response ineffective?

Answer 15

• Britain and France feared harming trade with Japan.
• The USA, Japan’s key trading partner, was not a League member.
• The League’s lack of enforcement power made its decisions symbolic but powerless.

Question 16

Why did Italy invade Abyssinia?

Answer 16

• Economic motives: Italy sought Abyssinia’s raw materials to combat its economic struggles.
• Revenge: Mussolini wanted to avenge Italy’s humiliating defeat by Abyssinia in 1896 in the battle of Adwa (1896)
• Empire expansion: Abyssinia was one of the few remaining independent African nations, and conquering it would enhance Mussolini’s prestige.

Question 17

What were the key events of the Abyssinian crisis?

Answer 17

• October 1935: Mussolini invaded Abyssinia, ignoring League warnings.
• The League imposed economic sanctions but excluded vital resources like oil and access through the Suez Canal.
• Britain and France secretly negotiated the Hoare-Laval Pact, offering Mussolini two-thirds of Abyssinia in exchange for peace.

Question 18

What were the main events of the Abyssinian Crisis?

Answer 18

• October 1935: Italy invaded Abyssinia.
• The League imposed economic sanctions but excluded vital resources like oil.
• Britain and France prioritised their Stresa Front alliance with Italy over enforcing collective security.
• Mussolini ignored the League, completing his conquest by May 1936.

Question 19

What were the consequences of the Abyssinian crisis?

Answer 19

• Mussolini ignored the League, completing his conquest by May 1936.
• Italy aligned with Nazi Germany, forming the Rome-Berlin Axis (1936).
• The League’s failure destroyed its credibility, proving it could not enforce collective security.

Question 20

How did the Abyssinian Crisis expose the League’s weaknesses?

Answer 20

• Britain and France’s self-interest undermined League principles.
• The League’s inability to act decisively destroyed its credibility.
• Mussolini aligned with Germany, forming the Rome-Berlin Axis (1936).

Question 21

What was the role of Britain and France in the Abyssinian Crisis?

Answer 21

• They negotiated the Hoare-Laval Pact, secretly offering Mussolini two-thirds of Abyssinia to maintain peace.
• They avoided closing the Suez Canal, allowing Mussolini access to resources and troops.

Question 22

What was Abyssinia’s significance in the Abyssinian Crisis?

Answer 22

• Abyssinia (modern-day Ethiopia) was one of the few independent African nations surrounded by British, French, and Italian colonies.
• Its independence and resources made it a target for Mussolini’s empire-building.

Question 23

What were the main reasons for the League’s collapse?

Answer 23

• Failures in Manchuria and Abyssinia: Showed the League could not handle major international crises.
• Economic weakness: The Depression made sanctions ineffective and nations unwilling to act militarily.
• Key absences: The USA, a major power, never joined, while the USSR only joined in 1934 and was later expelled.
• Member self-interest: Britain and France prioritised alliances (e.g., the Stresa Front) over League principles.

Question 24

What happened to the League after 1936?

Answer 24

• It lost all authority, with countries like Germany, Italy, and Japan acting without fear of consequences.
• The League’s humanitarian work continued, and some organisations became part of the United Nations, like the International Labour Organization.

Question 25

How did extremism rise during the Great Depression?

Answer 25

• Economic hardship led people to blame governments for their poverty.
• Fascist and communist parties offered radical alternatives to traditional policies.
• Leaders like Hitler promised to reverse the Treaty of Versailles and restore national pride.

Question 26

What role did militarism play in this period?

Answer 26

• Militarism created jobs in industries like rearmament.
• Countries like Germany rearmed, violating the Treaty of Versailles, to restore pride and power.
• Japan and Italy used military expansion to distract from domestic struggles.

Question 27

How did economic conditions lead to the rise of extremism?

Answer 27

• Unemployment and poverty made people lose faith in democratic governments.
• Extremist leaders promised quick solutions, such as reversing the Treaty of Versailles or restoring national pride.

Question 28

Which dictators gained power during this time?

Answer 28

1. Mussolini (Italy, 1922): Advocated for empire-building and militarism.
2. Stalin (USSR, 1924): Strengthened communist control.
3. Hitler (Germany, dictator by 1934): Exploited anti-Versailles sentiment.
4. Franco (Spain, 1939): Rose during the Spanish Civil War.

Question 29

What does the cartoon of Japan setting treaties on fire (1932) symbolise about the Manchurian Crisis?

Answer 29

• It depicts Japan as aggressively disregarding international agreements like the Nine-Power Treaty.
• The flames symbolise the League’s inability to stop Japan from ignoring its commitments.

Question 30

How does the British cartoon of the Abyssinian Crisis portray the League?

Answer 30

The League is shown as indecisive and powerless, with Britain and France avoiding firm action to protect their own interests.