The Collapse of the League of Nations

Decline of Co-operation

• Great Depressions in 1929 in USA

• Affected other countries - Germany were borrowing money from USA to rebuild/pay back reparations so it affected their economy

• Trade was affected

• People started turning to dictators like Mussolini and Hitler for answers

• Members of the League didn’t want to get involved in disputes/use an army because of the Depression

Manchurian Crisis, 1931

Causes: Japan wanted Manchuria because it was geographically close, had resources, already had industry and army there

Events: Sept 1931 explosion on the railway, Japan claimed they had been attacked, Chinese denied & said they were sleeping, Japan used it as an excuse to invade, 1932 renamed it Manchukuo & installed a puppet leader

Consequences: League put together the Lytton report but it took a year, said Japan was in the wrong but they ignored it and left the LoN, gave the confidence to Mussolini/Hitler

Abyssinian Crisis, 1935

Causes: Italy had previously tried to invade but failed so Mussolini wanted to restore pride, rich in resources, Mussolini was confident after the Manchuria crisis

Events: 1934 Mussolini ordered his soldiers to clash with Abyssinians at Wal Wal, 150 Abyssinians had 2 Italians killed, LoN tried to intervene but found it hard to stop Mussolini. Hoare & Laval (Brit/France) met with Mussolini and made a secret agreement. Despite moral condemnation from the LoN, Mussolini entered Abyssinia. Britain could’ve closed Suez Canal but didn’t

Consequences: LoN not seen as a serious peacekeeper, Hoare-Laval pact a scandal, Italy left the LoN

Reasons why the League of Nations failed

• It had no army of its own

• They only met once a year, decisions had to be unanimous which could be long

• USA didn’t join so they didn’t have to follow trade sanctions

• Powerful countries weren’t scared of moral condemnation

• Depression meant people turned to leaders like Hitler (depression creates fear, desperation and anger which makes the people turn to these leaders as their only hope)

• They didn’t act properly in crisis like Manchuria