2.1.1 The League of Nations

Question 1

What were the League of Nation’s aims? (4)

Answer 1

• get countries to collaborate to help to prevent war (collective security)
• encourage disarmament
• improve living and working conditions
• tackle deadly diseases

Question 2

What was the League written into?

Answer 2

The League was written into each of the treaties signed at the end of the war

Question 3

Why was the League written into each of the treaties signed at the end of the war?

Answer 3

To make people recognise and respect it

Question 4

How many countries joined the League initially?

Answer 4

42

Question 5

Which group of countries were not allowed to join the League?

Answer 5

• Those who lost the First World War, including Germany, were not allowed to join
• Russia was not allowed to join because it was Communist

Question 6

When did Germany join the League?

Answer 6

After agreeing the Locarno Treaty (1925)

Question 7

When was Russia allowed to join the League?

Answer 7

1934

Question 8

When Russia joined the League, how many member states were in the League?

Answer 8

58

Question 9

Who did states send to the Assembly in the League?

Answer 9

Representatives

Question 10

Which 4 countries were the permanent members of the Council in the League?

Answer 10

Britain, France, Italy, Japan

Question 11

What did Britain think of the League?

Answer 11

Although Britain supported the League, it felt that action would be limited.

Question 12

What did France think of the League?

Answer 12

France thought the League could help keep it safe from German attack.

Question 13

What did the League set up in 1920?

Answer 13

the Permanent Court of International Justice

Question 14

Why was the Permanent Court of International Justice unhelpful?

Answer 14

It could only advise on arguments and could not forcefully back up verdicts

Question 15

What did the League deal with aggression through?

Answer 15

the Covenant

Question 16

In the League, what did the Covenant include? (4)

Answer 16

• Mitigation
• Moral condemnation
• Economic sanctions
• Military force

Question 17

Where was the headquarters of the league?

Answer 17

Geneva, Switzerland

Question 18

Politically, how would you describe Switzerland in WW1?

Answer 18

Neutral

Question 19

What did America refusing to join the League make it look like?

Answer 19

Weak and unimportant

Question 20

What happened after the League stopped countries like Germany from joining?

Answer 20

International tensions continued

Question 21

What did David Lloyd George issue and what did this state?

Answer 21

the Fontainbleau Memorandum - this stated publicly that he and the UK gave the League of Nations his full support

Question 22

What is the mnemonic that could help you remember how the League would deal with issues?

Answer 22

4 M’s - Mitigation, Moral condemnation, Money and Military

Question 23

Give 9 examples of how the League of Nations helped people

Answer 23

• Lead removed from paint which kills people when inhaled
• Improving working conditions
• Stopped slavery in Sierra Leone
• Campaign to kill mosquitoes to stop spread of malaria
• Set up shipping lanes in sea
• Set up refugee camps and people camps
• Helped to get prisoners of war home
• Solved Aaland Island dispute (Sweden + Finland)
• Upper Silesia (Germany + Poland argue - LON splits Upper Silesia for both countries)

Question 24

Give 6 examples of weaknesses the League had

Answer 24

• No army - can’t force people to do what they want
• Structure - 4 permanent members (GB, F, I, J) can veto any action
• Structure - assembly meet once a year
• America never joins (strong country that everyone respects)
• Trade sanctions cant work because countries can still trade with America
• Punishments - mitigation (talk about it), moral condemnation (telling off), economic sanctions (stop trade), military action. LoN wouldn’t want to create economic sanction as they can still trade with USA