League of Nations

Creation

• LoN proposed in Wilson’s 14 Points speech to Congress in January 1918

• All 5 post war treaties established the membership of the nations to the LoN

Aims

• solve disputes that could lead to armed conflict

• achieve world disarmament

• encourage nations to trade freely with each other

• improve standards of living across the world

Issues from the outset

• Europeans countries worries that LoN would

  • interfere too much

  • be too weak

• USA viewed Wilson as an idealist

  • US followed isolationism after WW1

    • USA never became a member of the League

Powers of the League

• Condemnation

  • if a country’s actions were disapproved of, the rest of the Nations were behind the disapproval

• Economic Sanctions

  • Member nations would refuse trade/lending with aggressive countries.

• Military Sanctions

  • send in army of soldiers (from member states- LoN didn’t have an army)