Consequences of the Failures of the League of Nations in the 1930s

What does FAILURE stand for? (failure of the League)

F- French and British self-interest

A- absent powers (USA didn’t join the league)

I- ineffective sanctions

L- lack of armed forces (League did not have any of its own troops)

U- unfair treaty

R- reaching decisions too slow

E-economic depressions

What is the short and long term consequences of the Economic Depression?

Short term: 

• The league was seriously weakened by the effects of the worldwide economic depression

 

Long term:

• America often undermined economic sanctions as they continued to trade with countries the league wished to impose economic sanctions

What were the short and long term consequences of the TofV?

Short term:

• The view the Treaty was too harsh on Germany and became more and more popular in Britain

• The league was supposed to enforce the Treaty but failed

Long term:

• Hitler viewed the League as weak and took advantage of the League's inaction

  

What were the short and long term consequences of Disarmament?

• Hitler was secretly rearming, only doing this because other countries refused to disarm, he then left the League.

• The collapse of the League of Nations Disarmament conference had shown other countries where not ready to disarm, so Hitler knew he could get away with it.

• Britan had help dismantle the Treaty by signing the Anglo-German Naval agreement with Hitler, allowing Germany to increase its navy.          

 

What were the short and long term consequences of the Abyssinia and Manchurian crisis?

• The crisis in Manchuria and Abyssinia showed the world how powerless the League was, and therefore encouraged further acts of aggression

• Britian and France had proven they were not prepared to use military force to resolve international crises

• The failure of the League to address these crises encouraged Italy and Germany to think that their territorial ambitions were achievable

• Following the Manchuria Crisis, Japan withdrew from the League and drew closer to Hitler and Mussolini through the Anti-Comintern pact

What were the short and long term consequences of the Saar Plebiscite?

• In 1935 the league of Nations held the promised plebiscite for people to vote on whether their region should return Saarland to the German rule.

• Hitler was wary of this because many of his opponents had fled there

• Around 90% of people voted to return the German rule

• It was a real morale booster for Hitler

Context of the Spanish Civil war

• Civil war broke out in Spain in July 1936 between:

  • The left-wing Spanish government

  • Right-wing nationalist rebels led by General Franco

Britains reaction to the Spanish Civil war

Created a Non-Intervention Committee to avoid fighting in the war,To avoid causing a bigger European war

France’s reaction to the Spanish Civil war

Created a Non-Intervention Committee to avoid fighting in the war

Nationalist sympathisers in France could cause a civil war in the country

Germany’s reaction to the Spanish Civil war

Sent weapons and aircraft to support right-wing rebels

To test out the new Luftwaffe and form an alliance with Mussolini

Italy’s reaction to the Spanish Civil war

Sent weapons and aircraft to support right-wing rebels

To expand Italy’s power and influence in Europe

USSR’s reaction to the Spanish Civil war

Sent weapons and aircraft to support left-wing government

To stop the development of another fascist state in Europe

How many people were killed in the Spanish Civil war?

750,000, which went against the Leagues mentality of stopping the use of war

What was the impact of General Franco winning?

• General Franco won in 1939

○ Fascism had won against democracy

○ Hitler and Mussolini formed a tighter bond

• They signed the Rome-Berlin Axis alliance in 1937

How did the Spanish Civil war help Germany? (Military)

• Germany developed devastating military tactics

○ Hitler tested the concept of blitzkrieg, or ‘lightning war’, in the conflict

○ The Luftwaffe developed new bombing techniques

• On 26th April 1937, German and Italian bombers bombed the city of Guernica

• Over three hours, they destroyed the city and killed hundreds of civilians

What was the impact of the Luftwaffe?

the Nazi’s aerial bombing shocked world leaders and their populations

• Britain and France increased their rearmament programmes

• People worried about the consequences of war

Many civilians wanted to avoid war at all costs