To What Extent Was The League Of Nations A Success? Flashcards
Type of Organisation
- Wilson = World Parliament
- Britain = Simple organisation to convene at times of emergency
- France = Strong league with army
Organisation of League
- Major nations were to join
- All would disarm
- Disputes settled by League
- Nations would accept League’s decisions
- Protect one another if invaded
- Countries who broke rules would face sanctions and military force
League Unpopular in USA
- League supposed to enforce Treaty of Versailles (Many Americans of German origin so thought too harsh)
- USA forced to impose sanctions so American trade and business would suffer
- Americans had no desire to be world’s policemen (having to send soldiers to resolve small disputes)
- Some feared America would end up having to help Britain and France defend empires
Refuse to Join League
- Despite Wilson’s tireless campaigning, Congress rejected in 1919 and 1920
- Wilson forced to retire from ill health
- 1920 Republican Warren Harding elected President
- Promised ‘return to normalcy’ (isolationism)
Aims of League
- Member agreed to discourage aggression, encourage co-operation, encourage disarmament, improve living and working conditions
- Article 10 (idea of collective security)
Problems with Leadership
- Britain and France believed USA required to make League work
- Britain more concerned with empire than League
- France more concerned with strengthening defences and crippling Germany than League
Problems with Structure of the League
- Assembly (League’s parliament) = only met once per year and decisions were unanimous
- Council = responsible for dealing with crisis and disputes (permanent members (GB, France, Italy, Japan) had a veto)
Vilna
-1920
-Poland took control of Vilna
Lithuania appealed but Britain and France refused to act
Upper Silesia
- 1921
- Germany and Poland disputed
- League oversaw plebiscite and region divided
Aaland Islands
-1921
-Finland and Sweden disputed
-League sided with Finland
Sweden accepted decision
Corfu
- 1923
- Following dispute with Greece, Mussolini bombarded and occupied Corfu
- Greece appealed
- Mussolini no accept League’s ruling
- Britain and France divided over solution
- Greece forced to pay compensation to Italy before Mussolini agreed ro leave Corfu
Geneva Protocol
- 1924
- Countries must submit to Council’s decisions
- Britain refused to sign
Bulgaria
- 1925
- Greece invaded Bulgaria
- Greece appealed
- League demanded Greeks pull out and threatened sanctions
- Greece backed down
Refugees and POWs
- Nansen Passport made easier for WW1 refugees to travel across borders
- 400,000 POWs returned to homelands
- League acted quickly to set up refugee camps of decent standard
Working Conditions
- Campaigned for improved working conditions(child workers)
- ‘Named and shamed’ countries/businesses that mistreated
- challenged use of forced labour to build Tanganyika railway in Africa
Transport
- Produced global highway code for car owners
- Organises global system of shipping lanes
Health
- Sponsored vital research into infectious diseases (malaria)
- Global campaign to exterminate mosquitoes
- League’s Health Committee (shared good practice globally)
Crime
- Blacklisted large companies involved in illegal drugs trade
- Organised raids against slave traders and owners in Burma
- Freed 200,000 slaves in British-owned Sierra Leone
Disarmament (League)
- Failed in 1920s
- World’s leading powers not prepared to disarm
Washington Conference
- 1921
- USA, Japan, Britain, France
- Limit navy size
Rapallo Treaty
- 1920
- Germany and USSR
- Restored diplomatic relations
Dawes Plan
- 1924
- USA and Germany
- Lent vast sums of money to help Germany recover
Locarno Treaties
- 1925
- German accepted western borders
- Paving way for Germany to join the League
Kellogg-Briand Pact
- 1928
- 65 nations agreed to settle disputes peacefully
Young Plan
- 1929
- Reduced Germany’s reparations payments
Wall Street Crash : USA
- Less willing to support League
- Sanctions would damage struggling economy
Wall Street Crash : Britain
-Less willing to be involved in international disputes through sanctions or military intervention
Wall Street Crash : Japan
- Decided needed to build an empire
- Made up of weaker countries with raw materials
Wall Street Crash : Germany
- Hit particularly bad as dependent on USA loans
- Unemployment, poverty, chaos
- Hitler exploited situation
- Establish Nazi dictatorship
Wall Street Crash : Italy
- Mussolini decided to build empire
- Distract people from economic problems
Manchurian Crisis : Invasion
- 1931
- Japan invaded Chinese Manchuria
- China appealed to League
Manchurian Crisis : League’s repsonse
- 1932
- League ruled against Japan
- Japan resigned from League in protest
Manchurian Crisis : Invasion of Jehol
-instead of withdrawing, Japan invaded Jehol Province
Manchurian Crisis : League Fails to Respond
- Britain and France refused to challenge Japan and risk war
- Sanctions discussed but not agreed
- USA and USSR best placed to deal with Japan but not members
Manchurian Crisis : Consequences
- Exposed weaknesses of League
- Hitler and Mussolini saw League was powerless to stop strong, aggressive nation
Failure of Disarmament : Conference
- 1932
- No concrete action
- Ended in failure in 1934
Failure of Disarmament : Germany
- Walked out when other nations refused to disarm to their level
- Returned when nations promised to treat Germany equally
- Britain proposed ambitious disarmament plan but failed to gain support
- Hitler withdrew Germany from Conference and then League
Failure of Disarmament : Rearmament
- Hitler secretly rearming Germany
- Other major powers followed suit
Anglo-German Naval Agreement
- 1935
- Britain and Germany
- Germany allowed to build navy up to third of size of Britain’s
- League and Treaty of Versailles becoming irrelevant
Abyssinian Crisis : Wal-Wal Oasis
- 1934
- Dispute between Italian and Abyssinian troops
- Mussolini began preparations for invasion and Haile Selassie appealed
Abyssinian Crisis : Stresa Pact
-Early 1935
-Britain and France desperate to maintain good relations with Mussolini (ally against Hitler)
-Commitment to stand against German aggression
Did not mention Abyssinian situation
Abyssinian Crisis : Britain Responds
- Mid 1935
- Public opinion in Britain turned against Mussolini
- Politicians decided to ‘get tough’
- Foreign Minister Hoare reaffirmed Britain’s commitment to collective security
Abyssinian Crisis : League Responds
- September 1935
- League reported on Wal-Wal incident
- Proposed handing part of Abyssinia to Italy
- Mussolini rejected plan
Abyssinian Crisis : Invasion
- October 1935
- Italian forces invade
Abyssinian Crisis : Disagreement Over Sanctions
- Late 1935
- Moved to impose sanctions on Italy (oil exports)
- Member delayed a decision fearing consequences for own economies and lack of American support
Abyssinian Crisis : No Response
-Late 1935
-Britain and France fail to respond due to fear of provoking a war
Could have ended crisis by imposing a sanction of closing Suez Canal to Mussolini’s supply of ships
Abyssinian Crisis : Hoare-Laval Pact
- December 1935
- Britain, France, Italy
- Britain and France offered two-thirds of Abyssinia to Mussolini secretly
- Outcry when plan exposed
- Seen as blatant act of treachery against League
- Hoare and Laval sacked
Abyssinian Crisis : Failure of Sanctions
- 1936
- Sanctions discussions slowed even more
- By the time decision reached, Mussolini had all but conquered Abyssinia
- Americans disgusted with dithering of League
- Stepped up oil exports to Mussolini
Abyssinian Crisis : Rhineland Remiliterised
- 1936
- Hitler marched troops into Rhineland
Abyssinian Crisis : Mussolini Conquers Abyssinia
- 1936
- Italian forces captured capital
- Addis, Ababa and Haile Selassie forced into exile
Abyssinian Crisis : Consequences
- League’s reputation in tatters
- Hitler emboldened
- Rome-Berlin Axis (Hitler and Mussolini)
Why did League of Nations Fail?
- USA not join League
- Britain and France provided weak leadership
- League was slow to act
- Wall Street Crash and Depression
- Sanctions not used effectively
- Unwillingness to risk conflict
- Nation of League were too self-interested
