10_1 Peacekeeping attempts

The League's Peacekeeping Attempts in the 1920s

Overview of the League's Role

  • The League of Nations was tasked with mediating border disputes created by treaties from the Paris Peace Conference.

  • The high workload led to some disputes being handled by the Conference of Ambassadors, an unofficial body linked to the League.

Key Disputes Highlighted

  • Notable Disputes: Vilna, Åland Islands, Corfu, and Bulgaria.

  • Activity Prompt: Score the League’s success from -5 (total failure) to +5 (great success) with justifications for each score.

Vilna Dispute (1920-29)

  • Background: After WWI, Poland and Lithuania emerged as independent states amidst earlier conflicts involving the Soviet Union.

  • Events:

    • Vilna became the seat of the Lithuanian government in October 1920.

    • A Polish army annexed Vilna shortly after, leading Lithuania to appeal to the League.

    • The League ordered Polish withdrawal for a plebiscite, but Poland refused, showcasing the League’s impotence.

Åland Islands Dispute (1921)

  • Context: The Islands were Finnish territory with a Swedish majority population seeking independence.

  • League's Action:

    • The League investigated and awarded the islands to Finland while ensuring protection for the islanders.

    • Both Finland and Sweden accepted the League's ruling, marking it as a successful resolution.

Corfu Incident (1923)

  • Initial Trigger: The assassination of Italian General Tellini while surveying the Greek-Albanian border led to Italy's invasion of Corfu.

  • League's Response:

    • The League condemned Mussolini’s actions and proposed that Greece compensate Italy, which was to be held by the League until the killers were found.

    • Mussolini insisted on a ruling from the Conference of Ambassadors instead, showcasing the League's waning authority.

  • Outcome:

    • Ultimately, the decision favored Mussolini, requiring Greece to apologize and pay compensation directly to Italy, undermining the League's perceived strength.

Bulgaria Crisis (1925)

  • Incident: Greek invasion of Bulgaria after border tensions resulted in Bulgaria appealing to the League.

  • League’s Action:

    • The League acted swiftly, calling for both sides to withdraw forces, with support from Britain and France.

    • The League judged in favor of Bulgaria, leading Greece to pay compensation, viewed as a success relative to the previous Corfu incident.

Though the League's attempts at peacekeeping in the 1920s had notable successes (Åland Islands, Bulgaria), they were often undermined by the actions of member states (Corfu). The mixed outcomes reflect both moments of effectiveness and limitations in authority.