History League of Nations

When was the League of Nations established?

1920, after World War One, to maintain international peace.

Why was the League of Nations created?

To prevent another world war through cooperation, negotiation and collective security.

What was collective security?

Members would cooperate to oppose aggression and protect countries from attack.

What were the League's three main methods?

Negotiation, arbitration (settling disputes peacefully) and sanctions.

What were sanctions?

Economic or diplomatic punishments used to pressure countries to obey international rules.

What were the League's main structural strengths?

It encouraged cooperation, provided peaceful dispute resolution and organised international humanitarian work.

Why was the League's lack of an army a weakness?

It could not directly force aggressive countries to obey its decisions.

Why was the absence of the USA important?

The USA never joined, weakening the League's authority and removing a major world power.

Why did unanimity weaken the League?

Most decisions needed agreement from members, making quick action difficult.

Why did the League depend on Britain and France?

They were its strongest members, but often lacked the will to risk war or economic losses.

Why was the League's membership a weakness?

Some major powers were absent or joined late; Germany and the USSR were excluded initially.

How did the League help refugees and prisoners of war?

It helped repatriate prisoners after World War One and supported refugees returning home.

What was the Nansen passport?

A travel document that helped stateless refugees cross borders and find refuge.

How did the League improve public health?

It coordinated international efforts against disease and improved health standards.

What was the International Labour Organization (ILO)?

A body promoting better working conditions, including limits on working hours and safer workplaces.

How did the League fight slavery?

It supported international cooperation to suppress slavery and human trafficking.

Why was the League's humanitarian work significant?

It improved lives and encouraged international cooperation, even when peacekeeping was less successful.

What happened in the Åland Islands dispute (1921)?

The League awarded the islands to Finland while protecting the Swedish-speaking population's rights.

Why was the Åland Islands decision a success?

Sweden and Finland accepted a peaceful settlement instead of fighting over the islands.

What happened in Upper Silesia (1921)?

After unrest and a vote, the League helped divide the industrial region between Germany and Poland.

Why was Upper Silesia important?

The League helped resolve a difficult border dispute and reduce the risk of war.

What happened in the Corfu Crisis (1923)?

Italy occupied Corfu after Italian officials were killed in Greece; Greece was pressured to pay compensation.

Why was Corfu a League failure?

Italy's power helped it avoid effective League control, showing that strong states could dominate weaker ones.

What happened in the Greek–Bulgarian Crisis (1925)?

After border fighting, the League ordered Greece to withdraw and pay compensation; Greece complied.

Why was the Greek–Bulgarian settlement a success?

The League helped stop fighting quickly and secured compliance without a wider war.

What was the League's overall record in the 1920s?

Mixed: it settled some smaller disputes peacefully but struggled when powerful countries resisted.

When did the Great Depression begin, and why?

It began in 1929 after the Wall Street Crash and developed into a worldwide economic crisis.

How did the Depression make the League's work harder?

Countries focused on unemployment and recovery, reducing their willingness to cooperate or impose sanctions.

How did the Depression encourage aggressive governments?

Economic hardship weakened trust in democracy and increased support for militarism and extremism.

What happened in Manchuria in 1931?

Japan invaded Manchuria in China and established the puppet state of Manchukuo.

How did the League respond to Manchuria?

It sent the Lytton Commission to investigate, but its report and response took too long.

What did the Lytton Commission conclude?

It rejected Japan's justification for taking Manchuria and did not recognise Manchukuo as legitimate.

Why did the League fail in Manchuria?

It acted slowly, imposed no effective sanctions and had no force to make Japan withdraw.

What was Japan's response to the League over Manchuria?

Japan rejected the criticism and left the League in 1933.

What happened in Abyssinia (Ethiopia) in 1935?

Mussolini's Italy invaded Abyssinia, seeking an empire and revenge for Italy's earlier defeat there.

How did the League respond to Italy's invasion?

It condemned Italy and imposed sanctions, but the measures were incomplete and ineffective.

Why did sanctions against Italy fail?

Oil was not embargoed, the Suez Canal remained open to Italian shipping, and Britain and France hesitated.

What was the Hoare–Laval Plan?

A secret 1935 proposal by Britain and France to give Italy much of Abyssinia to end the crisis.

Why did the Hoare–Laval Plan damage the League?

It suggested Britain and France would sacrifice a smaller country rather than firmly stop aggression.

What was the outcome of the Abyssinia crisis?

Italy conquered Abyssinia in 1936. The League's failure damaged confidence in collective security.

How did League failures affect Hitler and other aggressors?

They suggested aggression could succeed without serious punishment, encouraging further expansion.

Was League failure inevitable because of its structure?

Its lack of an army, unanimity and reliance on great powers made failure likely, but member choices also mattered.

How successful was the League overall?

It achieved humanitarian gains and some 1920s settlements, but failed to stop major aggression in the 1930s.

What was the Treaty of Versailles (1919)?

The peace treaty with Germany after World War One, imposing territorial, military and financial restrictions.

What was the War Guilt Clause?

Article 231 assigned Germany and its allies responsibility for war damage, providing a basis for reparations.

What were Germany's main military restrictions?

Army limited to 100,000; no conscription or air force; restrictions on weapons and a demilitarised Rhineland.

What territory did Germany lose under Versailles?

Alsace-Lorraine, Polish territories and its colonies, among other areas.

What were the consequences of the peace treaties of 1919–23?

Resentment, border disputes, economic pressures and minority problems undermined lasting peace.

How did Versailles help Hitler gain support?

He promised to overturn the treaty, rebuild the military and restore German territory and pride.

Did Versailles alone cause World War Two?

No. It created resentment, but Hitler's decisions, appeasement and international failures were also crucial.

What was the Stab-in-the-Back myth?

The false claim that Germany was betrayed at home rather than defeated militarily in World War One.

How did the Stab-in-the-Back myth weaken Weimar democracy?

It blamed democratic politicians and minority groups for defeat, undermining trust in the republic.

What was the Saar plebiscite (1935)?

A vote returned the Saar to Germany under League supervision; the result was a major propaganda victory for Hitler.

What happened in the Rhineland in March 1936?

Hitler sent troops into the demilitarised Rhineland, breaking Versailles and Locarno agreements.

Why was remilitarisation of the Rhineland important?

Britain and France did not intervene, encouraging Hitler to believe he could take further risks.

What was Germany's role in the Spanish Civil War?

From 1936, Hitler supported Franco's Nationalists with aircraft, troops and weapons.

Why did Hitler intervene in Spain?

He opposed communism, supported an ideological ally and gained military experience for German forces.

What was the Anschluss (March 1938)?

Germany annexed Austria, violating Versailles and uniting the two countries under Hitler.

Why did Britain and France not stop the Anschluss?

They continued avoiding war, and Germany achieved the annexation without a major military confrontation.

What was appeasement?

Britain and France's policy of making concessions to Hitler to try to prevent another war.

Why did Britain and France follow appeasement?

They feared another war, needed time to rearm, and some believed Versailles had treated Germany too harshly.

What were the risks of appeasement?

It encouraged Hitler, weakened other countries and allowed Germany to gain territory and strategic advantages.

What was the Sudetenland crisis in 1938?

Hitler demanded the Sudetenland, part of Czechoslovakia with many German-speaking inhabitants.

What was agreed at the Munich Conference (September 1938)?

Britain, France, Germany and Italy agreed that Germany could take the Sudetenland; Czechoslovakia was excluded.

Why did Chamberlain support the Munich Agreement?

He hoped concessions would preserve peace and believed the agreement could satisfy Hitler's demands.

What were the consequences of the Munich Agreement?

Germany gained territory and strategic resources; Czechoslovakia was weakened, and Hitler was encouraged.

What happened to Czechoslovakia in March 1939?

Hitler occupied the Czech lands, breaking his implied promise that the Sudetenland was his final demand.

Why was the occupation of Czechoslovakia a turning point?

It showed Hitler wanted expansion beyond uniting German-speaking people and discredited appeasement.

What was the Rome–Berlin Axis (1936)?

An agreement that strengthened political cooperation between Fascist Italy and Nazi Germany.

What was the Anti-Comintern Pact (1936)?

Germany and Japan agreed to oppose communism; Italy joined in 1937.

What was the Pact of Steel (1939)?

A military and political alliance between Germany and Italy.

How did Germany, Italy and Japan increase militarism?

They expanded their armed forces and used force to gain territory, challenging the international order.

What was the Nazi–Soviet Pact (August 1939)?

Germany and the USSR promised not to attack each other and secretly agreed to divide influence in Eastern Europe.

Why was the Nazi–Soviet Pact important to Hitler?

It reduced the immediate risk of a two-front war and made invading Poland less risky.

Why did Stalin sign the Nazi–Soviet Pact?

He gained time to prepare for war and sought to delay a direct conflict with Germany.

What did the secret Nazi–Soviet agreement mean for Poland?

Germany and the USSR planned to divide Poland and establish spheres of influence in Eastern Europe.

Why did Hitler want Poland?

He wanted territory, Danzig and access across the Polish Corridor, as well as Lebensraum in Eastern Europe.

What guarantee did Britain give Poland in 1939?

Britain promised to support Poland's independence if it was threatened; France also committed to supporting Poland.

What happened on 1 September 1939?

Germany invaded Poland using fast-moving forces and air power, often described as Blitzkrieg.

What happened on 17 September 1939?

The Soviet Union invaded eastern Poland, following the secret agreement with Germany.

Why did Britain and France declare war on 3 September 1939?

Germany refused to withdraw from Poland after their demands, so Britain and France declared war.

Why is Hitler's foreign policy considered a major cause of war?

He repeatedly broke agreements, expanded German territory and ultimately invaded Poland.

How did the League's failures contribute to war by 1939?

Manchuria and Abyssinia showed aggression could succeed, weakening deterrence and collective security.

How important was appeasement in causing war?

It gave Hitler territory and confidence, though Britain and France also gained time to rearm.

How important was the Nazi–Soviet Pact in causing war?

It enabled Hitler to attack Poland with less fear of Soviet opposition, but did not cause his wider ambitions.

Why did international peace collapse by 1939?

Treaty resentment, economic crisis, militarism, League failures, appeasement and Hitler's expansion combined.

What is a strong overall judgement on the causes of World War Two?

Treaties and League weaknesses created conditions, but Hitler's expansion and invasion of Poland triggered war.