2.2.2 Failures of the LoN 1

Question 1

Failures of the International Labour Organisation (2)

Answer 1

• In 1919, there was an attempt to stop child labour (under 14 years old) but lots of countries didn’t want this to stop as it would cost them too much money by paying older workers
• There was also a push to try and limit working hours to 8 hours a day. Many countries didn’t like the idea of this as it would cost them money because they would have to employ more workers to work with an 8 hour window

Question 2

Failure of the Permanent Central Opium Board (3)

Answer 2

• Whilst many countries did try to stop the illegal trade of opium, this wasn’t widespread. Some countries in the League did not want to stop the trade of opium as they made so much money from it
• Only 4 companies internationally were blacklisted for selling drugs.
• The League of Nations did hold a conference in 1925, but there was limited success

Question 3

From the Permanent Central Opium Board, how many companies were internationally blacklisted for selling drugs?

Answer 3

4

Question 4

Failure of the Commission for Refugees

Answer 4

During the 1930s, failed to help Jews trying to free Nazi Germany

Question 5

Failure of the Economic and Financial Commitee

Answer 5

Unable to cope with global depression after 1929

Question 6

How was the incident of Upper Silesia a failure?

Answer 6

When the League split Silesia into sections according to how they had voted, both Germany and Poland disagreed with it. The Poland claimed they lost half a million of the Polish people to the land that now belonged to Germany and the Germans claimed that they lost too many coal mines.

Question 7

What did the League do after the partition of Silesia was decided?

Answer 7

The League of Nations then presided over discussions between Germany and Poland. The two countries agreed on trading laws, citizens’ rights, economic benefits and border control in the two parts of Silesia. On the 15th May 1922, the German-Polish Accord on East Silesia was signed in Geneva. As time went on, tensions between these two countries continued to worsen.

Question 8

What was the result of the plebiscite in Upper Silesia?

Answer 8

60% of people wanted to be part of Germany

Question 9

Complaints over the partition of Silesia: (2)

Answer 9

• The Polish claimed they lost half a million Polish people to land that now belonged to Germany
• The Germans claimed that they lost too many coal mines

Question 10

Which two countries agreed that Upper Silesia should have a plebiscite (vote) so that the people could decide on what they wanted?

Answer 10

France

Question 11

Why did Mussolini invade Corfu?

Answer 11

An Italian man, Tellini, was murdered in Greece after surveying the land at the request of the League of Nations. Mussolini (the leader of Italy) was outraged at this and blamed the Greek government and demanded compensation and that anyone associated with the murder of Tellini be round up and shot but Greece did not know who the murderers were so could not do this

Question 12

How many people did Mussolini kill when he invaded Corfu?

Answer 12

16

Question 13

How did the League respond to the invasion of Corfu?

Answer 13

The Greeks complained to the League of Nations and asked them to get Mussolini out and to catch the killers of their people. But, the League of Nations agreed that Mussolini (or Italy) should be paid compensation over the murder of Tellini.

Question 14

How did Mussolini go further in his desire to undermine the League?

Answer 14

He got Britain, France and Japan to agree to make Greece pay compensation and also formally apologise to Italy. He complained to the Conference of Ambassadors and Greece was forced to apologise to Mussolini and to pay compensation

Question 15

What did Mussolini undermining the League really show?

Answer 15

Mussolini had shown that the League could not enforce justice when one country involved was a larger, stronger country. The League could be ignored or bullied by strong countries. Also, this showed Mussolini and other leaders that if they pushed hard enough they could get what they wanted, regardless of what the League of Nations said

Question 16

Causes of the invasion of Corfu: (4)

Answer 16

• An Italian man, Tellini, was murdered in Greece
• He had been in Greece after surveying the land at the request of the League of Nations
• Mussolini (the leader of Italy) was outraged at this and blamed the Greek government
• He also demanded that he have compensation paid to him by the Greeks

Question 17

What was the Washington Arms Conference? (4)

Answer 17

• Held to discuss how big countries’ navies should be. However, the League of Nations was not invited to participate in the conference.
• Major countries such as the USA, Britain, Japan and France attended the Washington Arms Conference.
• The decision was that Britain and America could have the same size navy.
• Then, for every 5 tonnes of each of their battleships weighed, Japan could have 3 tonnes

Question 18

When was the Washington Arms Conference?

Answer 18

1921-22

Question 19

Why was the Washington Arms Conference held?

Answer 19

To discuss how big countries’ navies should be

Question 20

Who was not invited to the Washington Arms Conference?

Answer 20

The League of Nations

Question 21

Who was invited to the Washington Arms Conference?

Answer 21

Major countries such as the USA, Britain, Japan and France

Question 22

What did they decide at the Washington Arms Conference? (2)

Answer 22

• The decision was that Britain and America could have the same size navy
• Then, for every 5 tonnes of each of their battleships weighed, Japan could have 3 tonnes

Question 23

How did the Washington Arms Conference show the League’s weaknesses? (2)

Answer 23

• This treaty didn’t even include the League, which undermined the League of Nation’s rights to make rulings around military or naval matters
• It also showed that the USA could be involved in international affairs but only the affairs that they wanted to. The USA was not a member of the League of Nations

Question 24

How did the situation in Bulgaria expose the League’s hypocrisy?

Answer 24

The League forced Greece to withdraw and pay compensation when they invaded Bulgaria when Greek soldiers were killed on the border. However, this seemed hypocritical since the League had allowed Mussolini, a much more powerful leader, to get away with something very similar in Corfu

Question 25

How was the situation of Vilna a failure for the League?

Answer 25

When the Polish army invaded Lithuania and asked the League for help, the League did nothing as Poland was a strong ally against Germany