League of Nations

Birth of League

• President Wilson wanted League of Nations to be like a world parliament that would promote peace and stop anything like WW1 from happening again

• British thought that League would be simple organisation, only running in emergencies. This already existed in the Conference of Ambassadors

• France proposed a strong League with its own army

Americans idea of the League

• League was meant to impose Treaty of Versailles, many Americans had German ancestors hence they hated the treaty

• Trade sanctions would affect US trade and business

• Some feared that many lives would be lost to settle every little conflict around the world

• Some feared League would be dominated by Britain or France, and would help defend their empires when America was against the idea of empires

Why did the USA never join the League?

In 1920, Wilson became severely ill from a stroke and then lost when he came back in the election. His opposing candidate believed in isolationism, so not getting involved with other countries. Hence, the USA never joined the League

Aims of the League

• To discourage aggression from any nation

• To encourage countries to co-operate in trade and business,

• To encourage nations to disarm

• To improve living and working conditions of people in all parts of the world

Why did Germany not join the League initially?

They had to prove they were a peaceful nation, they eventually joined in 1926

Why did the USSR not join the League initially?

Many states in the League didn’t trust communist states. The USSR eventually joined in 1934

British Priorities

More interested in rebuilding British trade and looking after the British empire than being an international police force

France’s Priorities

France’s main concern was still Germany, was worried that without an army of its own, the League was too weak to protect France from its powerful neighbour

What was the Vilna conflict (1920-29)?

A dispute between Lithuania and Poland on the city of Vilna because Lithuanian government seats were positioned in a largely speaking Polish area

How did the League of Nations respond to the Vilna conflict?

They asked Poland to leave from the area and wait for a plebiscite. Poland refused

What was the outcome of the Vilna conflict?

Poland remained in control over Vilna because France and Britain were not prepared to escalate the situation, the League was powerless

What was the Aaland Islands dispute (1921)?

A dispute between Finland and Sweden on the Aaland Islands, a population based on largely Swedish people but was Finnish territory. Islanders wanted independence from Sweden which led to conflict

How did the League of Nations respond to the Aaland Islands dispute?

The League investigated the dispute and awarded the islands to Finland with protections for the Swedish people as well as the removal of Finnish troops. Both countries accepted this

What was the Corfu Crisis of 1923?

An incident where an Italian general, Tellini, was murdered while surveying the Greek-Albanian border. Italian dictator Mussolini blamed Greece and demanded compensation and an apology. When Greece refused Mussolini invaded the Greek island of Corfu.

Initially, how did the League of Nations respond to Greek appeal of the Corfu Crisis?

The League acted swiftly to make a decision, they made their decision of condemning Mussolini’s actions and Greece to pay a compensation in the span of 8 days. 

What was Mussolini’s response to the initial decision of the League in Corfu?

He didn’t let matters rest and threatened to leave the League if the matter was not settled by the Conference of Ambassadors

What were the British and French response to Mussolini’s actions?

The British did not accept the Italian case but didn’t want to argue with the French who fully stood with the Italians. So, they decided that Mussolini’s actions were not an act of crime

Why was the League’s handling of the Corfu Crisis a failure?

• It showed that the League were powerless against a bigger country which threatened a smaller country

• It proved that the League could be ignored and overruled by other international groups.

How was the Vilna dispute a failure for the League?

It was unable to prevent Poland from invading and seizing Vilna. This is because Britain and France didn’t want to send troops for their own political reasons and France wanted to maintain a good relationship with Poland.

How was the Aaland Islands dispute a success for the League?

This was a success for the League because it successfully mediated conflict between Sweden and Finland and prevented war. This showed the League’s power and ability to stop war

What was the Bulgaria Conflict of 1925?

Greek troops invaded Bulgaria after an incident on the border where Bulgarian troops were killed. Bulgaria appealed to the League

How did the League respond to the Bulgaria Conflict of 1925?

League acted quickly, calling a meeting in Paris. They demanded that both sides stand down and Greek forces leave from Bulgaria. Britain and France backed the League’s judgement

What was the outcome of the Bulgaria Conflict of 1925?

Greece had to pay £45,000 in compensation and was threatened with sanctions if they did not comply. The Greeks obeyed and the incident was seen as a major success to the League. 

How was the Bulgaria Conflict of 1925 a success to the League?

It stopped the fighting and rightfully made the Greeks pay compensation. This showed the League’s ability to stop a war and its power.

Disarmament in the 1920s

In the 1920s, the League failed to bring about disarmament. At the Washington Conference in 1921, the USA, Japan, Britain and France agreed to limit the size of their navies, this was as far disarmament got

What was the effect on the failure of disarmament on the League?

The League’s reputation in Germany was on decline, this is because Germany were forced to disarm while no other country did in the same way.

Economic Recovery in the 1920s

• The Dawes Plan of 1924 had helped to sort out Germany’s economic problems and helped Britain and France’s economies get moving again.

• Increased trade reduced political tension. This was one of the aims of the League

The League Refugee Committee

League attempted to tackle other major problems through agencies, commissions or committees 

helped displaced people by assisting them in returning to their homes or finding new ones

improving the living conditions in refugee camps.

Helped over a million refugees by 1930, and aided those who fled the Russian Civil War and the collapse of the Ottoman Empire. 

The League’s International Labour Organisation (ILO)

• ILO brought together employers, governments and workers’ representatives

• Aim was to improve the conditions of working throughout the world

• Tried to persuade member countries to adopt its suggestions by collecting statistics and information

Work of the League’s Refugee Committee

The League acted quickly to stamp out various diseases in the camps of Turkey in 1922. However, it was constantly short of funds and its work became more difficult in the 1930s as international situation of the world became tenser and authority of League declined.

Work of the ILO

Succeeded in banning poisonous white lead from paint and in limiting the hours that small children were allowed to work. Also campaigned strongly for employers to improve working conditions. However, it was also hampered by a lack of funds and lack of power

Economic Depression

In 1929, the Wall Street Crash in the USA started a long depression that quickly caused economic problems throughout the rest of the world. Many businesses in many countries went bankrupt

What was the Manchurian Crisis (1931-33)

An international crisis triggered by Japan’s invasion of Manchuria, a region of China, after an alleged attack on a Japanese-owned railway line

Why did Japan invade Manchuria?

Japan was suffering from the Great Depression, leading to a desire for raw materials and new markets for its industries

What initial action did Japan take in Manchuria in September 1931?

The Japanese army claimed that Chinese forces had sabotaged the railway. In retaliation, they invaded Manchuria

How did the League of Nations respond to the Manchurian Crisis?

China appealed to the League for help, the league sent a commission (which took over a year to complete) and eventually concluded that Japan should withdraw from Manchuria

What was the outcome of the League’s handling of the Manchurian Crisis?

Japan ignored the Lytton Report and the League’s condemnation, so in March 1933, Japan withdrew from the League of nations.

Why was the League’s response to the Manchurian Crisis considered a failure?

The League’s response was far too slow; the Lytton Report took too long. As well as this, Britain and France were reluctant to impose sanctions due to their own economic problems and the League lacked its own army and relied on member states who were unwilling to start a war with Japan.

What was the Abyssinia Crisis (1935-36)

An international crisis from Italy’s invasion of Abyssinia (modern-day Ethiopia), which was a member of the League of nations and an independent African nation

Why did Italy invade Abyssinia in 1935?

Mussolini sought to expand Italy’s empire and sought to get revenge after being defeated in 1896 in Abyssinia

How did the League of Nations initially respond to the Abyssinian appeal?

Haile Selassie (Abyssinian Emperor) appealed to the League for help after Mussolini invaded Wal-Wal oasis in Abyssinia

What sanctions did the League impose on Italy?

The League condemned Italy as an aggressor and banned arms sales to Italy, loans to Italy, imports from Italy and export to Italy of rubber, metals and tin.

Why were the League’s sanctions against Italy ineffective in the Abyssinia Crisis?

• Key resources like oil and coal were not banned.

• Britain and France didn’t close the Suez-canal

• Britain and France secretly proposed the Hoare-Laval Pact to appease Mussolini, fearing he would ally with Hitler, thus undermining the League's authority.

What was the significance of the Abyssinia Crisis for the League?

• The failure to protect a member state effectively demonstrated that powerful nations could defy the League without serious consequences.

• The crisis marked a step towards the outbreak of WW2

• Damaged League’s credibility and reputation as well as authority