To What Extent Was The League Of Nations A Success? Flashcards

1
Q

Type of Organisation

A
  • Wilson = World Parliament
  • Britain = Simple organisation to convene at times of emergency
  • France = Strong league with army
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

Organisation of League

A
  • 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
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

League Unpopular in USA

A
  • 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
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

Refuse to Join League

A
  • 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)
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

Aims of League

A
  • Member agreed to discourage aggression, encourage co-operation, encourage disarmament, improve living and working conditions
  • Article 10 (idea of collective security)
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

Problems with Leadership

A
  • 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
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

Problems with Structure of the League

A
  • 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)
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

Vilna

A

-1920
-Poland took control of Vilna
Lithuania appealed but Britain and France refused to act

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

Upper Silesia

A
  • 1921
  • Germany and Poland disputed
  • League oversaw plebiscite and region divided
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

Aaland Islands

A

-1921
-Finland and Sweden disputed
-League sided with Finland
Sweden accepted decision

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

Corfu

A
  • 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
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

Geneva Protocol

A
  • 1924
  • Countries must submit to Council’s decisions
  • Britain refused to sign
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

Bulgaria

A
  • 1925
  • Greece invaded Bulgaria
  • Greece appealed
  • League demanded Greeks pull out and threatened sanctions
  • Greece backed down
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

Refugees and POWs

A
  • 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
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

Working Conditions

A
  • 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
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

Transport

A
  • Produced global highway code for car owners

- Organises global system of shipping lanes

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

Health

A
  • Sponsored vital research into infectious diseases (malaria)
  • Global campaign to exterminate mosquitoes
  • League’s Health Committee (shared good practice globally)
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

Crime

A
  • 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
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

Disarmament (League)

A
  • Failed in 1920s

- World’s leading powers not prepared to disarm

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

Washington Conference

A
  • 1921
  • USA, Japan, Britain, France
  • Limit navy size
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

Rapallo Treaty

A
  • 1920
  • Germany and USSR
  • Restored diplomatic relations
22
Q

Dawes Plan

A
  • 1924
  • USA and Germany
  • Lent vast sums of money to help Germany recover
23
Q

Locarno Treaties

A
  • 1925
  • German accepted western borders
  • Paving way for Germany to join the League
24
Q

Kellogg-Briand Pact

A
  • 1928

- 65 nations agreed to settle disputes peacefully

25
Q

Young Plan

A
  • 1929

- Reduced Germany’s reparations payments

26
Q

Wall Street Crash : USA

A
  • Less willing to support League

- Sanctions would damage struggling economy

27
Q

Wall Street Crash : Britain

A

-Less willing to be involved in international disputes through sanctions or military intervention

28
Q

Wall Street Crash : Japan

A
  • Decided needed to build an empire

- Made up of weaker countries with raw materials

29
Q

Wall Street Crash : Germany

A
  • Hit particularly bad as dependent on USA loans
  • Unemployment, poverty, chaos
  • Hitler exploited situation
  • Establish Nazi dictatorship
30
Q

Wall Street Crash : Italy

A
  • Mussolini decided to build empire

- Distract people from economic problems

31
Q

Manchurian Crisis : Invasion

A
  • 1931
  • Japan invaded Chinese Manchuria
  • China appealed to League
32
Q

Manchurian Crisis : League’s repsonse

A
  • 1932
  • League ruled against Japan
  • Japan resigned from League in protest
33
Q

Manchurian Crisis : Invasion of Jehol

A

-instead of withdrawing, Japan invaded Jehol Province

34
Q

Manchurian Crisis : League Fails to Respond

A
  • 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
35
Q

Manchurian Crisis : Consequences

A
  • Exposed weaknesses of League

- Hitler and Mussolini saw League was powerless to stop strong, aggressive nation

36
Q

Failure of Disarmament : Conference

A
  • 1932
  • No concrete action
  • Ended in failure in 1934
37
Q

Failure of Disarmament : Germany

A
  • 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
38
Q

Failure of Disarmament : Rearmament

A
  • Hitler secretly rearming Germany

- Other major powers followed suit

39
Q

Anglo-German Naval Agreement

A
  • 1935
  • Britain and Germany
  • Germany allowed to build navy up to third of size of Britain’s
  • League and Treaty of Versailles becoming irrelevant
40
Q

Abyssinian Crisis : Wal-Wal Oasis

A
  • 1934
  • Dispute between Italian and Abyssinian troops
  • Mussolini began preparations for invasion and Haile Selassie appealed
41
Q

Abyssinian Crisis : Stresa Pact

A

-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

42
Q

Abyssinian Crisis : Britain Responds

A
  • Mid 1935
  • Public opinion in Britain turned against Mussolini
  • Politicians decided to ‘get tough’
  • Foreign Minister Hoare reaffirmed Britain’s commitment to collective security
43
Q

Abyssinian Crisis : League Responds

A
  • September 1935
  • League reported on Wal-Wal incident
  • Proposed handing part of Abyssinia to Italy
  • Mussolini rejected plan
44
Q

Abyssinian Crisis : Invasion

A
  • October 1935

- Italian forces invade

45
Q

Abyssinian Crisis : Disagreement Over Sanctions

A
  • Late 1935
  • Moved to impose sanctions on Italy (oil exports)
  • Member delayed a decision fearing consequences for own economies and lack of American support
46
Q

Abyssinian Crisis : No Response

A

-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

47
Q

Abyssinian Crisis : Hoare-Laval Pact

A
  • 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
48
Q

Abyssinian Crisis : Failure of Sanctions

A
  • 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
49
Q

Abyssinian Crisis : Rhineland Remiliterised

A
  • 1936

- Hitler marched troops into Rhineland

50
Q

Abyssinian Crisis : Mussolini Conquers Abyssinia

A
  • 1936
  • Italian forces captured capital
  • Addis, Ababa and Haile Selassie forced into exile
51
Q

Abyssinian Crisis : Consequences

A
  • League’s reputation in tatters
  • Hitler emboldened
  • Rome-Berlin Axis (Hitler and Mussolini)
52
Q

Why did League of Nations Fail?

A
  • 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