Lecture Notes on the League of Nations

Vocabulary flashcards reviewing key terms and concepts related to the League of Nations, its structure, successes, and failures.

League of Nations

An international organization founded after World War I to promote peace, collective security, and international cooperation.

Covenant of the League of Nations

The founding document of the League, outlining its goals and structure, signed on June 28, 1919, as part of the Treaty of Versailles.

Collective Security

A system where member states agree to mutually defend one another against attack, a key principle of the League of Nations.

Secretariat (League of Nations)

The League's 'civil service,' responsible for administrative tasks, preparing agendas, and publishing reports.

Assembly (League of Nations)

Composed of representatives from all member states, meeting annually to discuss issues related to the Covenant and international peace.

Council (League of Nations)

The League's managing body, initially composed of permanent and non-permanent members, responsible for directing the Assembly's business.

Nansen Passport

A League of Nations initiative providing stateless people with identification and facilitating movement and resettlement. help over 427,00 people

Åland Islands Dispute (1921)

A territorial dispute between Sweden and Finland resolved by the League, granting the islands to Finland but with guaranteed protection for the Swedish-speaking islanders and demilitarization.

Upper Silesia Dispute (1921)

A territorial dispute between Poland and Germany that the League was asked to settle. Most of the area was given to Germany, but with the Polish section containing the majority of the region's mineral resources and much of its industry.

Corfu Incident (1923)

An international crisis where Italy, led by Mussolini, occupied the Greek island of Corfu after the killing of an Italian general, contravening the League's covenant.

Great Depression (1929-1939)

A severe global economic downturn that weakened the League's ability to function, making major powers reluctant to enforce decisions and leading some countries to seek solutions through aggression.

Japanese Invasion of Manchuria (1931)

Japan's military takeover of Manchuria, a Chinese province, highlighting the League's inability to prevent aggression by powerful nations. This invasion led to international condemnation but ultimately resulted in little action from the League, revealing its weaknesses and prompting Japan to withdraw from the organization.

Lytton Commission

A League of Nations commission sent to investigate the Manchurian Crisis, which divided blame between Chinese nationalism and Japanese militarism but ultimately condemned Japan's actions.

World Disarmament Conference (1932)

A conference convened by the League of Nations to promote disarmament, which ultimately failed to halt the military build-up by Germany, Italy, Spain and Japan during the 1930s

Italian Invasion of Abyssinia (1935)

Italy's invasion of Abyssinia (Ethiopia) under Mussolini, further exposing the League's weakness in enforcing international law and preventing aggression.

Haile Selassie

The Emperor of Abyssinia who protested to the League of Nations following Italy's invasion in 1935.

Spanish Civil War (1936-1939)

A conflict in Spain where the League members would not intervene nor prevent foreign intervention. It aided General Francisco Franco's Nationalists, while the Soviet Union helped the Spanish Republic. The Nationalist victory exposed the League's ineffectiveness in dealing with major conflicts.

League of Victors

A perception of the League of Nations as an organization primarily serving the interests of the Allied powers after World War I.

Pacifism

A strong sentiment in Britain and France after World War I, contributing to their reluctance to use military force on behalf of the League.

Appeasement

The policy adopted by Britain and France in the face of growing German militarism under Hitler, abandoning the concept of collective security.