The League of Nations

Question 1

Why was the LON created?

Answer 1

To stop war from breaking out, encourage disarmament, improve working conditions, and tackle deadly diseases.

Question 2

Who created the idea of the LON?

Answer 2

Woodrow Wilson (President of the USA) - 14th point.

Question 3

Where was the LON based?

Answer 3

Geneva, Switzerland – A peaceful country.

Question 4

Who were the 4 permanent members of the council?

Answer 4

Britain, France, Italy, and Japan.

Question 5

Was the USA in the LON?

Answer 5

No, the senate voted against it. They wanted to isolate themselves from Europe after WW1.

Question 6

What was the Locarno Treaty?

Answer 6

Signed in 1926 - it allowed Germany to join the LON.

Question 7

Was Russia in the LON?

Answer 7

No, other countries were suspicious of the new communist government in Russia.

Question 8

What was the structure of the league like?

Answer 8

The assembly met once a year with equal votes, the council met more frequently with veto power, the Permanent Court of International Justice settled arguments, and there was the Secretariat.

Question 9

What were the strengths of the League of Nations?

Answer 9

It was written into peace treaties, had vast membership, and economic sanctions were daunting punishments.

Question 10

What were the weaknesses of the League of Nations?

Answer 10

• Many important countries did not join- USA. undermined League as ‘global’
  organisation, meant that if a country faced economic sanctions it could still trade with some of the most powerful countries
• it had no army
• the structure was complicated; confused people and slowed action
  -decisions had to be unanimous.

Question 11

What powers did the league have?

Answer 11

Mitigation-getting countries together to talk through problems.
moral condemnation
economic sanctions

Question 12

What happened in Vilna 1920?

Answer 12

-Majority of the population wanted to be Polish
-A Polish Army took control
of the city and Lithuania looked to the league for help
- The LON told Poland to leave but they
refused.
-France saw Poland as an ally against Germany so refused
- Britain would not send her troops in without support from other countries
– LON did nothing, Poland took Vilna.

Question 13

What happened in the Aland Islands 1921?

Answer 13

Both Sweden and Finland claimed the Aland islands, which were between the two countries.
The LON decided that they should go to Finland, however the army should be disarmed with no forts.
Sweden agreed and the LON avoided war

Question 14

What is a plebiscite?

Answer 14

A vote in which a whole country takes part.

Question 15

When was the Great Depression?

Answer 15

October 1929.

Question 16

What were the Locarno Treaties 1925?

Answer 16

An agreement signed in 1925 which allowed Germany to join the LON.

Question 17

What was the Kellogg-Briand Pact, 1928?

Answer 17

65 countries met in Paris to sign an agreement stating they would not use war to solve disputes.

Question 18

What is collective security?

Answer 18

The cooperation of several countries in an alliance to strengthen security.

Question 19

How did the Great Depression affect the LON?

Answer 19

Countries didn’t want expense of war during the depression.
The only sanctions the LON could impose
were economic.
However, in the a time of economic crisis countries weren’t willing to stop trading with others, as this would create more unemployment in and hurt their own people.

Question 20

What was the Manchurian crisis?

Answer 20

Japan invades Manchuria in China
 Most of Manchuria is now under Japanese control
 China turns to LON for help
 Lord Lytton arrives in Manchuria to start report
 The Lytton Report is complete after 1 whole year – the report stated that
Japan were to blame
 In Feb 1933 Japan is ordered to leave Manchuria
 Japan then leaves the LON and invades Jehol
 By July 1937 Japan has started a full scale invasion of China

Question 21

What was the Abyssinian crisis?

Answer 21

Mussolini wanted to take over Abyssinia as it was rich in natural resources and Italy
was struggling due to the Great Depression
 Italian soldiers clashed with Abyssinians at Wal Wal
 The LON tried to intervene but found it difficult to stop Mussolini
 France began to make secret agreements with Italy (Hoare-Laval Pact)
 Mussolini’s troops entered Abyssinia on Oct 1935 and bombed villages
 Haile Selassie, the Abyssinian Emperor asked the LON for help but the LON did
nothing
 This event weakened the LON as it showed that the LON had very little power when
difficult situations arose. Some argue that the LON was not taken seriously after
this!