To what extent was the League of Nations a success

Question 1

What were the aims of the League of Nations?

Answer 1

• To discourage (aggression) from any Nation.
• To encourage countries to (cooperate), especially in business and trade.
• To encourage Nations to disarm. (disarmament)
• To improve the living and working conditions of people in all parts of the world. (conditions)

Question 2

What was the League of Nations?

Answer 2

The League of Nations was an international organization, headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, created after the First World War to provide a forum for resolving international disputes.

Question 3

What did the big three originally think that the league of nations should be?

Answer 3

• Woodrow Wilson wanted the League of Nations to be like a world parliament where representatives of all Nations could meet together regularly.
• British leaders thought that the best league would be a simple organization that would just get together in emergencies.
• France proposed a strong league with its own Army.

Question 4

What were the origins of the League of Nations?

Answer 4

• The war highlighted the need for a forum where nations could come together to discuss and resolve disputes peacefully.
• Wilsons 14 points.
• Peace Movement and Public Sentiment: The horrors of World War I led to the rise of a strong peace movement and a desire among the public for an organization that could prevent future wars.
• Paris Peace Conference.

Question 5

Who were the ‘leaders’ of the League of Nations?

Answer 5

• Britain and France were the most powerful countries in the league with the absence of the USA.
• however both countries were poorly placed to take on this role and both were weakened by the first World War
• Neither of them had the resources to fill the Gap left by the USA
• Britain and France felt that the Americans were the only nation with the resources or influence to make the league work, they felt that trade sanctions would only work if the Americans applied them.
• Additionally, both countries had other priorities.

Question 6

What were Britains priorities?

Answer 6

British politicians, wanted to rebuild British trade and look after the British Empire - rather than being in an international police force.

Question 7

What were Frances priorities?

Answer 7

France’s main concern was still Germany, it did not think that Britain was likely to send an army to help France. So France was quite prepared to bypass the league if necessary - in order to strengthen its position against Germany.

Question 8

What was the secretariat?

Answer 8

• The Secretariat was a civil service serving all the other bodies within the league, it kept records of League meetings and prepared reports
• It helped bring together experts from across the world on key issues such as health, disarmament and economic matters.
• They were responsible for every single service in the league.

Question 9

What was the assembly?

Answer 9

• It was the League’s Parliament.
• Every country in the league sent a representative to the assembly.
• They would recommend action to the council.
• As well as vote on new members to enter the league.
• The decisions they made had to be unanimous.
• Only met once a year.

Question 10

What was the council?

Answer 10

• It was a smaller group than the assembly and they would meet about five times a year.
• There were four permanent members; France, Britain, Japan and Italy.
• One permanent member could stop the council acting even if all members agreed.

Question 11

What were the range of powers that the council could use if they couldn’t stop a dispute by talking?

Answer 11

• Moral condemnation: speak openly about the aggressor in public and tell them to stop what they are doing.
• Economic and financial sanctions; members of The League could refuse to trade with the aggressor.
• Military force: the Armed Forces of member countries could be used against an aggressor.

Question 12

What was the permanent court of international justice?

Answer 12

-The court was based at the Hague in the Netherlands and was made up of Judges from the member countries.
- They would settle disputes between countries peacefully.
- The court would give a decision on a board of dispute between countries if asked.
- The court had no way of making sure that the country’s followed its rulings.

Question 13

What was the international labour organization?

Answer 13

• It brought together employers, governments and workers Representatives.
• It’s aim was to improve the conditions of working people throughout the world.
• It’s collected statistics and information about working conditions and it tried to persuade member countries to adopt it suggestions.

Question 14

What were the League of Nations commissions?

Answer 14

The mandates commissions.
The refugees committee.
The slavery Commission.
The health committee.

Question 15

What was the Vilna border dispute?

Answer 15

In 1920 Poland took control of the Lithuanian capital Vilna. The Poles would not pull out so it was a failure for the league.

Question 16

What was the Aaland islands dispute?

Answer 16

In 1921 Finland and Sweden threaten war over the Aaland islands. Sweden accepts the fact that the islands should be given to Sweden.

Question 17

What was the Corfu dispute?

Answer 17

This involved Greece and Italy and it was on the border of Albania to greece.
Tellini was ambushed and killed mussolini was Furious and blamed the Greek government for the murder on the 31st of August they then bombarded and occupied the Greek island of Corfu. 15 people were killed.

They originally had reached a verdict that condemned Mussolini’s actions, mussolini refused to let the matter rest and he even threatened to leave the league.

The British were prepared to send warships to force Mussolini out of Corfu but the French completely disagreed and back the Italians. They then came to the agreement that they wouldn’t condemn Mussolini and they ordered that the Greeks apologize and pay full compensation to Italy

Question 18

Was the handling of the Corfu dispute a failure?

Answer 18

Yes, it was a failure - the League of Nations sided with the more powerful country in fear that it would leave the league.

Question 19

When did the Corfu dispute take place?

Answer 19

1923.

Question 20

When did the Corfu dispute take place?

Answer 20

1923.

Question 21

What was the Bulgaria dispute of 1925?

Answer 21

• Greek troops invaded Bulgaria after an incident On the Border in which some Greek soldiers were killed
  The league demanded for both sides to stand their forces down and Greek forces withdraw from Bulgaria.
• The league sent observers to assess the situation and jumped in favour of the Bulgarians.
• Greece had to pay $45,000 and was threatened with sanctions if it did not follow the ruling.

Question 22

Was the Bulgaria dispute a success?

Answer 22

Yes, It helped prevent a war and both countries agreed.

Question 23

How did the League of Nations help with humanitarian issues?

Answer 23

Through its commissions or committees.

Question 24

How did the League of Nations help with the refugee crisis?

Answer 24

• About 400,000 prison to their homes by the League’s agencies.
• The league acted quickly to Stamp Out cholera, smallpox and dysentery in the camps when there was a refugee crisis in Turkey in 1922.
• However, the comedy was constantly short of funds and it’s work became more difficult in the 1930s this is because the international situation became tensor and the authority of the league declined.

Question 25

How did the League of Nations help with the working conditions?

Answer 25

• The international labor organization succeeded in founding poisonous white lead from paint
  It also limited the amount of hours that children were allowed to work and made the maximum 48 hour week and an hour day.
• However, this didn’t work as a majority of members refuse to adopt it because they thought it would cost their Industries too much the ILO was hampered by lack of funds and lack of power.

Question 26

How did the League of Nations help with health?

Answer 26

• As well as collecting statistical information and spreading good practice it sponsored research in infectious diseases at Institute in Singapore London and Denmark. They help develop vaccines and medicines to fight deadly diseases
• It was very successful and after 1945 it continued in the form of the World Health Organization.

Question 27

How did the League of Nations help with slavery and forced labor?

Answer 27

• It helped free 200,000 slave owners in Sierra Leone.
• It organised raids against slave owners and Traders in Burma
• It challenged the use of forced labor to build a railway in Africa where the death rate among the African workers was a staggering 50% - they brought this figure down to 4%

Question 28

What other action did the League of Nations help with?

Answer 28

• The league kept records of what was going on in areas where it could not remove social injustice, these records provided information on problems such as drug trafficking, prostitution and slavery.
• They they blacklisted four large German,, dutch French and Swiss companies which were involved in the illegal drug trade.

Question 29

What were two other events that weakened the League of Nations?

Answer 29

• Manchurian crisis.
• Abyssinian crisis.

Question 30

What is some background information for how the Manchurian crisis began?

Answer 30

Since 1900 Japan’s economy and population had been growing rapidly. By the 1920’s Japan was a major power with a powerful military, strong industries and a growing empire. But the depression hit Japan badly as China and the USA put up tariffs (trade barriers) against Japanese goods. Army leaders in Japan were in no doubt about the solution to Japan’s problems - Japan would not face these problems if it had an empire to provide resources and markets for Japanese goods.

Question 31

When did invasion 1 of the Manchurian crisis happen?

Answer 31

1931

Question 32

What was invasion 1 of the Manchurian crisis?

Answer 32

In 1931 an incident in Manchuria gave Japan an ideal opportunity. The Japanese army controlled the South Manchurian Railway. When Chinese troops allegedly attacked the railway the Japanese armed forces used this as an excuse to invade and set up a government in Manchukuo (Manchuria), which they controlled. Japan’s civilian government protested but the military were now in charge.

Question 33

What did China do in response?

Answer 33

China appealed.

Question 34

What did China say in their appeal and how did they defend themselves?

Answer 34

China appealed to the League. The Japanese argued that China was in such a state of anarchy that they had to invade in self-defence to keep peace in the area. For the League of Nations this was a serious test. Japan was a leading member of the League. It needed careful handling.

Question 35

How did the league investigate themselves?

Answer 35

There was now a long and frustrating delay. The League’s officials sailed round the world to assess the situation in Manchuria for themselves. This was well before the days of instant communication by satellite. There was not even reliable air travel. It was September 1932 - a full year after the invasion - before they presented their report. It was detailed and balanced, but the judgement was very clear. Japan had acted unlawfully. Manchuria should be returned to the Chinese.

Question 36

What year did the 2nd invasion happen?

Answer 36

February 1933

Question 37

What was invasion 2 in the Manchurian crisis?

Answer 37

However, in February 1933, instead of withdrawing from Manchuria the Japanese announced that they intended to invade more of China. They still argued that this was necessary in self-defence.

Question 38

When was the report on Japans behaviour published and what did it contain?

Answer 38

On 24 February 1933 the report from the League’s officials was approved by 42 votes to 1 in the Assembly. Only Japan voted against.

Question 39

What did Japan do in response to the report produced?

Answer 39

Smarting at the insult, Japan resigned from the League on 27 March 1933. The next week it invaded Jehol. (Another area in the north east of China).

Question 40

How did the league respond to the 2nd invasion?

Answer 40

The League was powerless. It discussed economic sanctions, but without the USA, Japan’s main trading partner, they would be meaningless. Besides, Britain seemed more interested in keeping up a good relationship with Japan than in agreeing to sanctions. The League also discussed banning arms sales to Japan, but the member countries could not even agree about that. They were worried that Japan would retaliate and the war would escalate.
There was no prospect at all of Britain and France risking their navies or armies in a war with Japan. Only the USA and the USSR would have had the resources to remove the Japanese from Manchuria by force and they were not even members of the League.

Question 41

What were the consequences of the Manchurian crisis?

Answer 41

All sorts of excuses were offered for the failure of the League: Japan was so far away; Japan was a special case; Japan did have a point when it said that China was itself in the grip of anarchy. However, the significance of
the MANCHURIAN CRISIS was obvious. As many of its critics had predicted, the League was powerless if a strong nation decided to pursue an aggressive policy and invade its neighbours.
Japan had committed blatant aggression and got away with it. Back in Europe, both Hitler and Mussolini looked on with interest. Within three years they would both follow Japan’s example.

Question 42

Why was Germany angry on the matter of disarmament?

Answer 42

The Germans had long been angry that they had been forced to disarm after the First world War while other nations had not done the same. Many countries were actually spending more on armaments than before the First World War.

Question 43

What was the Disarmament conference?

Answer 43

After the Manchurian crisis, members of the League realised the urgency of the problem. In February 1932 the long-promised Disarmament Conference finally got under way. By July 1932 it had produced resolutions to prohibit bombing of civilian populations, limit the size of artillery, limit the tonnage of tanks, and prohibit chemical warfare. But there was very little in the resolutions to show how these limits would be achieved. For example, the bombing of civilians was to be prohibited, but all attempts to agree to abolish planes capable of bombing were defeated. Even the proposal to ban the manufacture of chemical weapons was defeated.

Question 44

What did this mean for Germany at the disarmament conference?

Answer 44

The Germans had been in the league for 6 years. Most people now accepted that they should be treated more equally than under the Treaty of Versailles. But the big question was that should Germany be able to re-arm to a level closer to the other powers, or should everyone else disarm to the level that Germany had been forced to.

Question 45

What happened in July 1932 regarding the Abyssinian crisis?

Answer 45

Germany proposed all countries disarm to its level. When the conference failed to agree this principle of ‘equality’, the Germans walked out.

Question 46

What happened in September 1932 regarding the Abyssinian crisis?

Answer 46

The British sent the Germans a note that went some way to agreeing equality, but the superior tone of the note angered the Germans still further.

Question 47

What happened in December 1932 regarding the Abyssinian crisis?

Answer 47

An agreement was finally reached to treat Germany equally.

Question 48

What happened in January 1933 regarding the Abyssinian crisis?

Answer 48

Germany announced it was coming back to the conference.

Question 49

What happened in February 1933 regarding the Abyssinian crisis?

Answer 49

Hitler became chancellor of Germany at the end of January. He immediately started to rearm Germany, although secretly.

Question 50

What happened in May 1933 regarding the Abyssinian crisis?

Answer 50

Hitler promised to not rearm Germany ‘if in five years all other nations destroyed their arms’.

Question 51

What happened in June 1933 regarding the Abyssinian crisis?

Answer 51

Britain produced an ambitious disarmament plan, but it failed to achieve support at the conference.

Question 52

What happened in October 1933 regarding the Abyssinian crisis?

Answer 52

Hitler withdrew from the Disarmament conference, and soon after took Germany out of the league altogether.

Question 53

What was the Abyssinia crisis?

Answer 53

When the Italian dictator, Mussolini, invaded Abyssinia in 1935.

Question 54

What are the similarities between the Abyssinia and Manchuria crisis?

Answer 54

Like Japan, Italy was a leading member of the League. Like Japan, Italy wanted to expand its empire by invading another country.

Question 55

What are the differences between the Abyssinia and Manchuria crisis?

Answer 55

However, unlike Manchuria, this dispute was on the League’s doorstep. Italy was a European power. It even had a border with France. Abyssinia bordered on the Anglo-Egyptian territory of Sudan and the British colonies of Uganda, Kenya and British Somaliland. Unlike events in Manchuria, the league could not claim that this problem was an inaccessible part of the world.

Question 56

What is the background of the Abyssinian crisis?

Answer 56

In 1896 Italian troops had tried to invade Abyssinia but had been defeated by a poorly equipped army of tribesmen, Mussolini wanted revenge for this humiliating defeat. He also had his eye on the fertile land and mineral wealth of Abyssinia. However, most importantly, he wanted glory and conquest. His style of leadership needed military victories and he had often talked of restoring the glory of the Roman Empire.
The Abyssinian emperor Haile Selassie appealed to the League for help.

Question 57

What happened in December 1934?

Answer 57

In December 1934 there was a dispute between Italian and Abyssinian soldiers at the Wal-Wal oasis - 80 km inside Abyssinia. Mussolini took this as his cue and claimed this was actually Italian territory. He demanded an
apology and began preparing the Italian army for an invasion of Abyssinia.

Question 58

Who appealed to the League for help?

Answer 58

The Abyssinian emperor Haile Selassie appealed to the League for help.

Question 59

What happened from January 1935 to October 1935?

Answer 59

From January 1935 to October 1935, Mussolini was supposedly negotiating with the League to settle the dispute. However, at the same time he was shipping his vast army to Africa and whipping up war fever among the
Italian people.

Question 60

What was a failure of the British and the French is relation to the Abyssinian crisis?

Answer 60

To start with, the British and the French failed to take the situation seriously. They played for time. They were desperate to keep good relations with Mussolini, who seemed to be their strongest ally against Hitler. They signed an agreement with him early in 1935 known as the Stresa Pact. At the meeting to discuss this, they did not even raise the question of Abyssinia. Some historians suggest that Mussolini believed that Britain and France had promised to turn a blind eye to his exploits in Abyssinia in return for his joining them in the Stresa Pact.

Question 61

What was the Stresa pact?

Answer 61

It was a formal statement against German REARMAMENT and a commitment to stand united against Germany

Question 62

How did the British people show their opinions?

Answer 62

However, as the year wore on, there was a public outcry against Italy’s behaviour. A ballot was taken by the League of Nations Union in Britain in
1934-35. It showed that a majority of British people supported the use of military force to defend Abyssinia if necessary. Facing an autumn election at home, British politicians now began to ‘get tough’. At an assembly of the League, the British foreign minister, Hoare, made a grand speech about the value of collective security, to the delight of the League’s members and all the smaller nations. There was much talking and negotiating. However, the League never actually did anything to discourage Mussolini.

Question 63

What happened on September 4th 1935?

Answer 63

On 4 September, after eight months’ deliberation, a committee reported to the League that neither side could be held responsible for the Wal-Wal incident. The League put forward a plan that would give Mussolini some of Abyssinia. Mussolini rejected it.

Question 64

What happened in October 1935?

Answer 64

Mussolini’s army was ready. He launched a full-scale invasion of Abyssinia. Despite brave resistance, the Abyssinians were no match for the modern Italian army equipped with tanks, aeroplanes and poison gas. This was a clear- cut case of a large, powerful state attacking a smaller one. The league was designed for such disputes and, unlike in the Manchurian crisis, it was ideally placed to act. There was no doubting the seriousness of the issue either.

Question 65

Who made it clear that sanctions must be introduced against the agressor?

Answer 65

The covenant made it clear that sanctions must be introduced against the aggressor. A committee was immediately set up to agree what sanctions to impose. Sanctions would only work if they were imposed quickly and decisively. Each week a decision was delayed, it would allow Mussolini to build up his stockpile of raw materials.

Question 66

What repercussions had to be dealt with by Italy ?

Answer 66

The League banned arms sales to Italy; banned loans to Italy; banned imports from Italy. It also banned the export to Italy of rubber, tin and metals. However, the League delayed a
decision for two months over whether to ban oil exports to Italy. It feared the Americans would not support the sanctions. It also feared that its members’ economic interests would be further damaged. In Britain, the Cabinet was informed that 30,000 British coal miners were about to lose their jobs because of the ban on coal exports to Italy.

Question 67

Was this Italy’s only repercussion?

Answer 67

Yes, the League decided not to close the Suez canal.

Question 68

Why didn’t the league close the Suez canal?

Answer 68

More important still, the Suez Canal, which was owned by Britain and France, was not closed to Mussolini’s supply ships. The canal was the Italians’ main supply route to Abyssinia and closing it could have ended the Abyssinian campaign very quickly. Both Britain and France were afraid that closing the canal could have resulted in war with Italy. This failure was fatal for Abyssinia.

Question 69

Why did disarmament fail?

Answer 69

The Conference failed for a number of reasons. Some say it was all doomed from the start. No one was very serious about disarmament anyway. But there were other factors at work.
It did not help that Britain and France were divided on this issue. By 1933 many British people felt that the Treaty of Versailles was unfair. In fact, to the dismay of the French, the British signed an agreement with Germany in 1935 that allowed Germany to build up its navy as long as it stayed under 35 per cent of the size of the British navy. Britain did not consult either its allies or the League about this, even though this violated the Treaty of Versailles. It seemed that each country was looking after itself and ignoring the League.

Question 70

How did the Hoare-Laval pact get its name?

Answer 70

From the British and French foreign ministers called Hoare and Laval.

Question 71

What was the Hoare-Laval pact?

Answer 71

It aimed to give Mussolini two-thirds of Abyssinia in return for calling off his invasion.

Question 72

What showed Lavals’ confidence in the pact?

Answer 72

Laval even proposed to put the plan to Mussolini before they showed it to either the League of Nations or Haile Selassie. Laval told the British that if they did not agree to the plan, then the French would no longer support sanctions against Italy.

Question 73

What was a big failure of the Hoare-Laval pact?

Answer 73

Details of the plan were leaked to the French press. It proved quite disastrous for the league. Haile Selassie demanded an immediate League debate about it. In both Britain and France it was seen as a blatant act of treachery against the league. Hoare and Laval were both sacked. But the real damage was to the sanctions discussions. they lost all momentum.

Question 74

What was decided about the oil sanctions?

Answer 74

The question about whether to ban oil sales was further delayed. In February 1936 the committee concluded that if they did stop oil sales to Italy, the Italians’ supplies would be exhausted in two months, even if the Americans kept on selling oil to them. But by then it was all too late. Mussolini had already taken over large parts of Abyssinia. And the Americans were even more disgusted with the ditherings of the French and the British than they had been before and so blocked a move to support the League’s sanctions.
American oil producers actually stepped up their exports to Italy.

Question 75

What were the outcomes?

Answer 75

• 7 March 1936.
• May 1936
• The league watching helplessly.

Question 76

What happened on the 7th March 1936?

Answer 76

On 7 March 1936 the fatal blow was delivered. Hitler, timing on his move to perfection, marched his troops into the Rhineland, an act prohibited by the Treaty of Versailles. If there had been any hope of getting the French to support sanctions against Italy, it was now dead. The French were desperate to gain the support of Italy and were now prepared to pay the price of giving Abyssinia to Mussolini.

Question 77

What happened in May 1936?

Answer 77

Italy continued to defy the League’s orders and by May 1936 had taken the capital of Abyssinia, Addis Ababa.
On 2 May, Haile Selassie was forced into exile. On 9 May, Mussolini formally annexed the entire country.

Question 78

How did the League watch helplessly?

Answer 78

The League watched helplessly. Collective security had been shown up as an empty promise. The League of Nations had failed. If the British and French had hoped that their handling of the Abyssinian crisis would help strengthen their position against Hitler, they were soon proved very wrong. In November 1936 Mussolini and Hitler signed an agreement of their own called the Rome-Berlin Axis.