Successes and Challenges of the League of Nations in the 1920s

League of Nations

International organization aimed at preventing wars.

Woodrow Wilson

U.S. President who proposed the League.

Nobel Peace Prize

Award received by Wilson for peace efforts.

Disarmament

Limiting weapons to ensure national safety.

Secret Diplomacy

Unregistered treaties that contributed to WW1.

Arbitration

Settling disputes between nations fairly.

Collective Security

Nations cooperate to deter aggression.

Economic Sanctions

Trade refusal to punish aggressive states.

Plebiscites

Local votes to determine territorial ownership.

Saar Valley

Region that voted to return to Germany.

Mandates

Territories managed until they gain independence.

International Labor Organization (ILO)

Agency improving labor conditions globally.

Repatriation

Restoring prisoners of war to their countries.

Education Development

Encouraging education in member states.

Public Health Promotion

Initiatives to control and prevent diseases.

General Assembly

Main body of the League with one vote per state.

Council

Smaller body handling urgent League matters.

Secretariat

Administrative arm managing League operations.

Permanent Court of International Justice

Judicial body resolving legal disputes between states.

Commissions and Committees

Agencies addressing specific social issues.

Teschen (1920)

Successful dispute resolution by the League.

Aland Islands (1921)

Peaceful resolution of territorial conflict.

Upper Silesia (1921)

League's intervention in regional disputes.

Upper Silesia

Contested territory between Germany and Poland.

Yugoslavia-Albania Border Dispute

Border conflicts mediated by the League in 1921.

Memel

Port city awarded to Lithuania by the League.

Mosul

Region awarded to Iraq after League investigation.

Greece-Bulgaria Border Dispute

League condemned Greece's invasion of Bulgaria.

Teschen

Plebiscite organized by League between Poland and Czechoslovakia.

Aland Islands

Dispute resolved in favor of Finland by League.

Vilna

Polish occupation of Lithuanian capital post-WWI.

Treaty of Riga

Poland expanded territory into Belarus in 1921.

Invasion of Ruhr

French and Belgian invasion due to German reparations.

Corfu Incident

League's failure to resolve Greek-Italian conflict.

Plebiscite

Popular vote to determine territorial claims.

Collective Security

League's principle of mutual defense among nations.

Criticism of League

Lack of intervention in major power disputes.

Dawes Plan

1924 plan to resettle Ruhr dispute, bypassing League.

International Port

Memel's port designated for international control.

Self-interest

Nations prioritized national interests over League cooperation.

Arbitration Success

League successfully mediated disputes among smaller nations.

Tensions Persisted

Disputes often left unresolved tensions between nations.

Major Powers

League's limitations due to absence of major powers.

League's Authority

Limited power to enforce decisions among member states.

Corfu Incident

1923 event where Italy invaded Greece.

Mussolini

Italian leader blaming Greece for Corfu deaths.

Council of Ambassadors

Intergovernmental agency monitoring peace post-WWI.

League of Nations (LON)

International organization aimed at maintaining peace.

Unanimity Requirement

All LON decisions needed unanimous agreement.

Collective Security

LON's principle requiring member state cooperation.

International Labor Organization (ILO)

Agency improving global labor conditions and rights.

Nansen Passport

ID for stateless refugees created in 1922.

Health Organization

Agency focused on disease prevention and research.

Mandates Commission

Oversaw territories transitioning to self-governance.

U.S. Refusal to Join

U.S. isolationism led to non-participation in LON.

Weaknesses of LON

Factors limiting LON's effectiveness in global peace.

Paris Peace Settlements

Unpopular agreements leading to LON's formation.

Isolationist Policies

Nations prioritizing self-interest over collective action.

Saar Region Plebiscite

Vote to determine region's return to Germany.

Financial Assistance

Support provided by LON for various needs.

Exploitation Issues

LON addressed trafficking and exploitation of vulnerable.

Cholera and Typhoid

Diseases targeted by health initiatives of LON.

Fridtjof Nansen

Led International Commission of Refugees, won Nobel Prize.

Old Age Pensions

Benefit established by ILO for worker security.

Minimum Wage Agreement

77 nations agreed to establish minimum wage.

Forced Labor Investigations

LON actions against labor abuses in Liberia.

Legacy of LON Agencies

Many LON agencies continued in the UN.