The League Of Nations

Question 1

Explain how membership lead to the failure of the League of Nations to keep peace.

Answer 1

The USA had started the initial idea of the League of Nations but never joined because American people did not want to join. This left the other countries unsure and unwilling to continue.

Question 2

Why did the Americans not want to join the League?

Answer 2

• They did not want to pay for Europes wars in money or mens lives.
• Have their trades suffer.
• Defend the Empires of other countries.

Question 3

Which countries where members of the League?

Answer 3

Leading members were Britain and France for a short time Italy and Japan. Germany joined 1926 but left when Hitler came to power. USSR joined near the end due to Germanys growing power. USA came up with the idea but didn’t join.

Question 4

What where the aims of the League to improve cooperation, peace and security?

Answer 4

• Collective Security - Supporting each other against aggressors.
• Taking disputes to the League to settle - rather than declaring war on another country.
• Stopping secret treaties - avoiding secrecy and suspicion.
• Encouraging disarmament - less easy to resort to war without troops.

Question 5

Explain the Assembly of the League.

Answer 5

Rather like a parliament, each member country represented , met once a year and came to a unanimous.

Question 6

What were the three stages of action against aggressors that the League took?

Answer 6

1. Moral Condemnation - Telling a country they were in the wrong.
2. Economic Sanctions - League members not to trade with aggressors.
3. Military Sanctions - League members all contribute to an army.

Question 7

Explain what the Permanent Court of Justice is.

Answer 7

15 judges from the members of the League based at The Hague in the Netherlands. Dealt with international law e.g. terms of the treaties.

Question 8

Give five weaknesses of the League.

Answer 8

1. USA not a member - needed its money, armed forces and trading links.
2. Russia not a member until 1934.
3. The leading members Britain and France were weak after World War 1.
4. Council members had veto - Able to block League decisions.
5. No standing (permanent) army of its own.

Question 9

Who were the members of the Council in the League of Nations?

Answer 9

Four permanent members - Britain France Italy and Japan.

Four non-permanent members.

Question 10

Explain the problems in Japan that lead to The Manchurian Crisis.

Answer 10

In September 1931, the Japanese claimed that Chinese soldiers had sabotaged the Manchurian railway in Korea, which Japan controlled. Japan used this as an excuse to attack and by February 1932, had brutally conquered Manchuria.

Question 11

Briefly explain The Manchurian Crisis

Answer 11

By February 1932, Japan (a member of the League’s Council) had invaded and conquered Manchuria. It took the League nearly a year to send a commission and declare that Japan ought to leave - whereupon Japan left the League. The League couldn’t send an army, and it needed America’s support to impose sanctions successfully. In the end, it did nothing.

Question 12

What was the Leagues response to the Manchurian Crisis?

Answer 12

China appealed to the League. Lytton Commission set up to investigate. Japan claimed it was restoring order in Manchuria. A year later Commission recommended Manchuria to be a self governing state. By early 1933 Japan had took over the whole of Manchuria. The League formally condemned Japan and they left the League and continued to invade China.

Question 13

Explain the Manchurian Crisis effect on the League?

Answer 13

The League could not agree on sanctions ( too slow to investigate and take action) Britain and France saw Japan was to far away and were not prepared to send an army ( This showed how much the League needed the USA) Not only did the Japanese stay in Manchuria, but in July 1937 they also invaded China. It showed similar countries ( e.g. Italy) the League could not stop them.

Question 14

Explain the problems in Italy that lead to The Abyssinian Crisis.

Answer 14

Mussolini wanted to be popular in Italy by giving Italy a strong empire again. By taking valuable land in Africa, Abyssinia (close to areas Italy already controlled and take revenge for pervious defeat in area) 1935 Britain France and Italy formed the Stresa Front against Germany. Italy thought as long as they sided against Germany they wouldn’t stop them.

Question 15

What triggered the Abyssinian Crisis?

Answer 15

December 1934, a dispute about the border between Abyssinia and the Italian Somaliland flared into fighting.
October 1935 Italy’s 100,000-strong army invaded Abyssinia.

Question 16

What was the Leagues response to The Abyssinian Crisis?

Answer 16

Weapon sales to Italy stopped as well as Italian imports. League took two months to make other decisions. Britain was afraid to stop trade in coal due to job loss. Britain and France didn’t want to close the Suez Canal to Italian ships because they needed Italys friendship.

Question 17

What was the Hoare-Laval Pact?

Answer 17

A secret pact proposed to give Mussolini 2/3rds of Abyssinia. When it became public it was abandoned. By June 1936 Italy had conquered Abyssinia.

Question 18

Explain the Abyssinian Crisis effect on the League?

Answer 18

May 1936 Italy walked out of the League. By July sanctions were withdrawn. Britain and France were shown to be weak and only have self-interest (putting their own concerns first.

Question 19

Briefly Explain the Abyssinian Crisis.

Answer 19

In 1935, Italy invaded Abyssinia. Although the Abyssinian emperor Haile Selassie went to the League himself to ask for help, all the League did was to ban arms sales, which did Abyssinia more harm than Italy. A League commission offered Italy part of Abyssinia, but Italy invaded anyway. Far from stopping Italy, Britain and France tried to make a secret pact to give Abyssinia to Italy.

Question 20

Explain the collapse of the League.

Answer 20

The Stresa Front collapsed. During the Abyssinian Crisis Hitler had invaded the Rhineland and was growing stronger and more confident. 1936 Mussolini signed Rome-Berlin Axis with Hitler. 1937 Japan joined them and it became the Anti-Comitern Pact.