Key topic 2: The league of nations (1920-35)

Question 1

When was the Treaty of St. Germain signed and who did it impact?

Answer 1

10th September 1919
Austria

Question 2

Give the terms of the treaty of St. Germain (4) and its impact (2).

Answer 2

Austrian land given to Italy, Romania and Poland
Land taken to make new states of Czechoslovakia and Yugoslavia
Army limited to 30,000 with no conscription or navy
Must pay reparations (amount was never decided)

Lost so much industry from taken land economy collapsed in 1921
Anchuluss forbidden so left without allies/ support

Question 3

When was the Treaty of Nevilly signed and who did it effect?

Answer 3

27th November 1919
Bulgaria

Question 4

What were the terms of the Treaty of Nevilly (3) and its impacts (2) .

Answer 4

Bulgaria lost land to Yugoslavia, Greece and Romania
Had to pay reparations of £100 million
Army limited to 20,000 and no conscription or air force and 4 battleships

Did gain land from Turkey
but was left vulnerable and powerless

Question 5

When was the Treaty of Trianon signed and who did it impact?

Answer 5

4th June 1920
Hungary

Question 6

what were the terms of the Treaty of Trianon (3) and what was its impact (1)?

Answer 6

Hungary lost land to Romania, Czechoslovakia and Yugoslavia
Had to pay reparations (amount not decided)
Army limit of 30000 and 3 patrol ships

Economy collapsed and could not pay reparations
Left destitute

Question 7

When was the Treaty of Sevres signed and who did it impact?

Answer 7

10th August 1920
Turkey

Question 8

What were the terms of the Treaty of Sevres (6) and what was its impact (2)?

Answer 8

Turkey lost land to Greece and was left with only a little bit of land around Constantinople
Otterman empire split up
Allies could keep troops in Turkey
Had to give up the Dardenelles and Bosphorus straits (important waterways)
Army limited to 50000 with 6 torpedo boats and 7 sailboats
Mus pay reparations

Harsher than ToV and the largest landlocked empire in history was reduced to a pitiful bit of land.
Led to a 2 year war fought by Turkey and led to a new treaty bring signed in replacement

Question 9

When was the Treaty of Lausanne signed and who did it impact?

Answer 9

July 1923
The new Turkey treaty after Turkey rebelled against Sevres and demanded a less harsh treatment

Question 10

What were the terms of the Treaty of Lausanne (5) and what was its impact (1)?

Answer 10

Turkey regained land given to Greece
Control of Dardenelles and Bosphorus straits
Allied troops withdrawn from Turkey
No restriction on army
No reparations

Showed how Britain and France were pushovers and would appease aggressive behavior

Question 11

What was the main purposes of the treaties on Germany’s allies and how might they be useful in an exam?

Answer 11

France an Britain wanted to get rid of any large and threatening empires and break them down into smaller, powerless countries

When asked about the fairness of the ToV it is good evidence to compare it with treaties on Germany’s allies

Question 12

What was the League of Nations, what was its aim, when was it set up?

Answer 12

It was the first worldwide intergovernmental organization whose main aim was to maintain peace it was founded on the 10th of January 1920.

Question 13

What did each of the Big Three want of the LoN?

Answer 13

Wilson: wanted a world parliament deciding on matters peacefully
George: wanted a simple organization for emergencies
Clemenceau: wanted a strong league with a powerful army

Question 14

Why did America not join the League of Nations?

Answer 14

The League was Wilson’s idea but America had enacted the policy of isolation after an imperialistic ToV and so did not join League. They also were worried more American soldiers might die in European conflicts and the the League would be dominated by Britain and France.

Question 15

What were the three punishment the League could use?

Answer 15

Mitigation: Countries talk through their problems
Moral condemnation: A telling off
Economic sanctions: A ban on trading with the aggressor (bad in war-time economy for all countries not just aggressor)

Question 16

How many members was the LoN made of and who were he four permanent members?

Answer 16

Made of 42 members, which rose to 58 by 1929
Italy, Japan, France and Britain were the four permanent council members.

Question 17

Which other global superpower (not USA) could not join LoN and why?

Answer 17

Russia had become USSR and communism scared imperialist Britain and France, lots of tension and were not allowed to join LoN.

Question 18

What European countries were initially not allowed to join LoN.

Answer 18

Germany and their allies in WW1 were excluded from LoN when it was first formed.

Question 19

What were the four aims of the LoN to achieve their ultimate goal of world peace?

Answer 19

Prevent war
Encourage disarmament
Improve working conditions
Tackle deadly disease

Question 20

Where was the LoN based?

Answer 20

Geneva, Switzerland
Neutral territory as Switzerland was not involved in WW1.

Question 21

Who was critical of the League and what was the Fontainebleau Memorandum?

Answer 21

Lloyd George was critical of LoN and mainly saw it as a place to talk (not a serious organization) but issued the Fontainebleau Memorandum (25th March 1919) showing his support for LoN.

Question 22

How did the League first think they would succeed in 1920?

Answer 22

Through setting up international laws and believing countries would abide for the sake of collective security.

THEY WERE WRONG!!! HITLER DID NOT CARE ABOUT COLLECTIVE SECURITY.

Question 23

What were the five elements of the league’s structure?

Answer 23

The assembly
The council
The secretariat
Permanent court of international justice
LoN commissions

Question 24

What was the League of Nations assembly?

Answer 24

The league’s parliament which recommended actions to the council
Every country had a representative that could vote
all decisions must be unanimous
Met only once a year

Question 25

Name two things the assembly of the League of Nations might vote on

Answer 25

The admission of new members and the appointment of temporary council members

Question 26

Describe the council of the League of Nations

Answer 26

A small group made to discuss and solve disputes between members
Had four permanent members [Japan UK France and Italy] and had elected temporary members that served for three-year periods.
All permanent members had a veto
Met about five times a year

Question 27

Describe the secretariat of the League of Nations

Answer 27

Civil service kept records of meetings and prepared reports
Has many specialist sections
Lack of cohesion with all the different sectors
No actual power but we just do as told

Question 28

Describe the permanent court of international justice of the League of Nations

Answer 28

Based in Hague, Netherlands and it settled disputes peacefully
Made-up of judges from every member

would give legal advice but had no powers to make countries follow their ruling

Question 29

Name five of the League of Nations commissions

Answer 29

International labour organisation
Commission for refugees
Slavery
Economic and financial commissions
Health committee

Question 30

Describe the successes (3) and failures(2) of the international labour organisation [one of the league’s commissions]

Answer 30

1922: recommended the ban of poisonous lead paint
1928: set up the minimum wage
1930: help set up Greek social insurance

1919: tried to stop under 14’s working but the idea was not adopted due to the potential loss of income
1935 Conan tried to put the working day to 8 hours but the idea was called industrial suicide

Question 31

Name the three successes of the Commission for refugees by the League of Nations

Answer 31

1921: free 427,000 out of 500,000 prisoners of war from World War One
1921: 1.5 million Russians were relocated away from the civil war of 1917
In 1922: Turkish Greek conflict led to camps with doctors set up to help 600,000 Greeks were also helped to find a home

Question 32

Name the two successes of the economic and financial Commission of the League of Nations

Answer 32

Helped develop importing and exporting codes
Sent financial experts to help countries rebuild their economy for example in Austria and Hungary

Question 33

Name the four successes of the World Health committee of the League of Nations

Answer 33

Started a national campaign to kill mosquitoes, which carry the malaria protist
Worked with government in the USSR to organise an education programme to teach people of how diseases spread
Send doctors to refugee camps in Turkey
In the 1920s they helped improve living conditions for refugee camps

Question 34

Did the League of Nations commissions help to achieve at their aim of World Peace?

Answer 34

No, not really

Question 35

What did the league do in Vilna and was it a success or a failure?

Answer 35

It was a failure
Poland invaded Lithuanian town of Vilna in 1920
The league did nothing to help Lithuania
France wanted Poland as an ally against Germany and Britain wouldn’t send in troops without support from France
The first time the league had to settle a dispute and they failed

Question 36

What did the league do in upper Silesia and was it a success or a failure?

Answer 36

A short term success but long term failure
*upper Silesia lies on the border between Germany and Poland and they held a plebiscite to decide which nation they should belong to (1921)

*Germany won 60% of the vote but Poland claimed most voters did not come from Upper Silesia
League tried to split Silesia smoothly as possible using railway links etc

*By splitting Silesia Germany had lost three quarter of coal mines and Poland had about half the population but little land and 15 million Polish people were now in German land

*1922 the league agreed after the German government complained to allow Germany to import cold at highly discounted rate but when in 1925 this ended German Polish relations worsened

Question 37

What did the League of Nations do in the Åland islands and was it a success or a failure?

Answer 37

Success!
*Threat of war between Finland and Sweden over the islands in 1921

*League investigated claims of both countries knew line avoided war by giving the islands to Finland

*Finland had to agree to not build forts
Both countries agreed and war was successfully averted

Question 38

What did the league do in Corfu and was it a success or a failure?

Answer 38

A short term success but with later be a failure with the league looking weak

Italian general, Tellini, and his team were murdered when surveying the new Greek-Albanian boundaries

Mussolini was furious with Greece and invaded Corfu on the 31st of August 1923
He claimed that Greece must pay reparations

The league condemned Mussolini as aggressor but agreed that Greece must pay and would have to reward Italy once killers were found (LoN looked after the reward money until then)

Italy convinced the council to undermine the league as one of the permanent members of the council

Mussolini ‘s troops only withdrew from Corfu when satisfied by the terms given to them by the conference of ambassadors (should have been disbanded after LoN set up but wasn’t

Question 39

What happened in Bulgaria and was it a success or a failure for the league

Answer 39

It was a failure in the fact that it made the league look hypocritical but it did avoid war

Greek soldiers were killed on the Bulgarian border and invaded Bulgaria in 1925

The league condemned Greece and ordered their withdrawal of troops and that they pay compensation

Greece was too poor to it that upset the league but was angry as that Mussolini had gotten away with invading Greece in much the same manner only two years previous

Question 40

Was the Wall Street Crash (1929) a failure or success for the League of Nations?

Answer 40

It was a failure as countries plunged into the Great Depression after the American economy collapsed and this global impact led to desperation and poverty and people lost faith in governments turning to extremist groups like the Nazis and communists and so the league was left powerless to help and could not control than you violent party leaders who are bent on restoring their nation at all costs.

Question 41

When was the Lorcano treaty signed and who was it set up by and which countries were involved (5)?

Answer 41

Gustave Stresemann (German minister) met up with French minister (Briland) in Switzerland in 1925
The countries who then signed the treaty these two made were Germany, France, Britain, Belgium and Italy

Question 42

What were the terms of the Lorcano treaty?

Answer 42

The new boundaries in the Treaty of Versailles were recognised and all countries involved agreed not to attack one another and they signed voluntarily so it was not a dictated peace and it boosted relations with Germany so much that they joined the league only a year later in 1926.

Question 43

How does the success of the Lorcano treaty show the League of Nations was not good at keeping peace?

Answer 43

It showed that the league was not necessary because Germany who had been excluded from the league was able to have peaceful diplomacy with their enemy, France, and achieve a treaty in which many countries agreed not to attack each other, achieving international peace without the league’s help.

Question 44

When was the Kellogg briand pact signed and who were the first countries involved?

Answer 44

1928
Initially it involved France Germany and the USA but 65 countries got involved

Question 45

What were the terms of the Kellogg Briand pact?

Answer 45

All countries agreed to no more fighting to solve their problems and we’re able to talk about their problems and work through them (diplomacy) not just try to find a practical solution like you’d have to do in the League of Nations.

Question 46

How does the Kellogg Briand pact show that the League of Nations was not necessary for keeping peace in the 1920s?

Answer 46

One of the first countries involved was the USA, who was not even part of the league, and the countries were able to calmly talk out to their problems rather than have to abide to the superfluous rules of the League of Nations no abide to their need to find a practical solution.

Question 47

Which countries were involved in the Washington arms conference and when was it?

Answer 47

USA organised the Washington arms conference and it involved France Britain and Japan who all attended as individuals in 1921 to 1922

Question 48

What were the terms of the Washington arms conference and why was this significant?

Answer 48

It was agreed that Great Britain and the USA would have equal sized navies and that for every five tonnes their battleships weighed, Japan could have three tonnes. This was significant because Britain had been so proud of its navy that it was a factor in the start of World War One, through the arms race, and so to agree to not grow their Navy anymore, despite their growing empire, showed a great step forward into encouraging disarmament and achieving World Peace, the aims of the League of Nations. This can also be seen, with Japan also agreeing to have an inferior Navy to USA in Britain despite, wanting to grow their empire.

Question 49

How does the Washington arms conference show that the League of Nations was unnecessary for keeping peace in the 1920s?

Answer 49

It shows that the league was unnecessary for keeping peace because two of the world’s fastest growing empires, Britain and Japan, had both just agreed to limit their Navy and military power, a great step forward in achieving the league’s aim of peace, though was organised by a non-league member, the USA. Additionally, Britain, France and Japan all attended as individuals and not part of the league, despite being the council’s permanent members, which says a lot about the priorities and attitudes even the permanent council members had towards the League of Nations.

However, Japan may not have been totally satisfied, seen in the Manchurian crisis.

Question 50

When was the Rapallo treaty and which countries were involved?

Answer 50

On April 16th 1922 Germany and Russia met in Rapallo, Italy.

Question 51

What was agreed in the Rapallo treaty and how does it show that the league was not necessary for keeping peace in the 1920s?

Answer 51

Russia had surrendered to Germany in World War 1 and was made to sign the treaty of Brest-Litoush. When they met in 1922, Germany agreed that they would give back much of the land and money that the former treaty had taken from Russia in return that Russia would cooperate in the future. This eased tension and brought the USSR into European politics and was the first capitalist-communist pact, a momentous occasion and pivotal in the keeping of peace of the 1920s and yet was made between two non-league members and without the league.

Question 52

What were the top three reasons for Japan invading Manchuria?

Answer 52

Japan already had large industries in the area (like the Manchurian railway) so would be easier to use to grow economy
(specifically why Manchuria)

Japan’s economy relied heavily on silk trade, which lost 80% of its value even before the Great Depression, so needed a boost in economy through new colony
(General reason to look to colonize somewhere)

Japan already had an army (Kwantung army) which had growing influence on politics of Manchuria
(specifically why Manchuria)

Question 53

What happened in 1932 (Manchurian crisis)?

Answer 53

The Japanese military killed the prime minister of Manchuria and dominated politics.

Question 54

When did the South Manchurian Railway explosion (A.K.A. the Mukden incident) occur and who was to blame?

Answer 54

September 1931 and Japan blamed China however, the convenient timing, with tension between the two countries rising, suggests that japan blew up the track as an excuse to invade china.

Question 55

When did Japan invade Manchuria?

Answer 55

18th September 1931

Question 56

Who did the League send to investigate the Manchurian crisis?

Answer 56

Lord Lytton, who took months to get there, by that time (1932) Japan had full control over Manchuria [almost].

Question 57

What was the Lytton report and when was it published?

Answer 57

It was a report published on October 1932 by Lord Lytton sent by the League of Nations to investigate the Manchurian crisis and it concluded that Japan was it the aggressor.

Question 58

What did the League of Nations do after the verdict of the Lytton report?

Answer 58

The League of Nations morally condemned and economically sanctioned Japan however Japan did not stop trading with the USA, a non-league member, so the economic sanctions were as useless as the moral condemnation

Question 59

What did Japan do in February 1933?

Answer 59

They continued to ignore the LoN and invade China, taking control of Jehol and using their two bases to take control of the rest of Manchuria.

Question 60

When did Japan leave the League of Nations?

Answer 60

March 1933

Question 61

Give the four main reasons the LoN did not want to fight Japan in the 1930s.

Answer 61

Did not want a large fight
It was agreed in the treaties that Japan had economic rights in Manchuria and so we’re entitled to take control also both Britain and France was struggling with the Great Depression and could not take another war and couldn’t afford to send troops so far away

China and Japan were removed from the League of Nations Swiss headquarters
Britain and France felt the incident was too far away for concern

Japan claimed China invaded first
And there was so much confusion that people believed Japan and therefore saw no need to intervene, or willfully believe japan so they wouldn’t have to intervene

China had very disorganized politics
The league thought Japan would introduce order

Question 62

What did the League of Nations failure in the Manchurian crisis mean for the League of Nations’ public image?

Answer 62

It showed again the weakness of the League of Nations towards aggressors emphasized by the fact that they couldn’t even keep the permanent council within peace
The league had acted slowly and achieved nothing once again

Some people didn’t lose respect for the league and thought that if the crisis were in Europe, the league would have been able to deal with it better

Question 63

What are the four main reasons Mussolini wanted to invade Abyssinia in the 1930s?

Answer 63

Mussolini promised he would rebuild the Roman Empire and so his fascism caused his invasion

He was confident that the league would do nothing after they failed in the Manchurian crisis

Abyssinia was rich in natural resources and farmland and it would help the Italian Great Depression economy

Great Britain and France had allied themselves against Hitler with Italy [forming the stresa front] and he believed they needed him as an ally and so would exploit the league selfish leaders

Question 64

How many Abyssinian and Italian deaths did Italy’s invasion of Abyssinia cause?

Answer 64

150 Abyssinians died and two Italians

Question 65

What happened on December to January 1935?

Answer 65

French foreign minister agreed with Mussolini not to interfere with Italy’s invasion of Abyssinia as long as Italy left French African colonies alone
Permanent council member making illegal deals to save there own empire
This was known as the Hoare-Laval pact and would give Italy two thirds of Abyssinia

Question 66

How did Italy break the Geneva Convention when invading Abyssinia?

Answer 66

They used chemical weapons and heavy artillery on tribal villages both these weapons have been banned in the convention

Question 67

When did the Abyssinian leader Halie Selassie tell the league that they will invalidate their purpose if they do not act in the 1930s?

Answer 67

June 1935

Question 67

How did the League look when details of the Hoare-Laval pact were leaked to the press?

Answer 67

Public outcry at the League’s hypocrisy and selfishness.

Question 68

When did Italian troops take the Abyssinian capital Addis Ababa and crisis end in Italy’s favour?

Answer 68

May 5th 1935.

Question 69

What could the League of Nations done concerning the Suez Canal to stop Italian invasion of 1935?

Answer 69

Suez Canal owned by Britain and France so that they could easily get to East Asia and Africa
They could have shut this canal and stop Italian troops from invading Abyssinia but didn’t because they wanted to keep Italy on their side against Germany so keep Mussolini happy

Question 70

What could the League of Nations have done concerning trade sanctions to stop the Italian invasion of 1935?

Answer 70

The league did forbid weapons being sold to Italy or any importing of Italian goods however it took two months to decide what else to ban and they did not ban vital fuels that would have been needed the Italian invasion because the league felt banning fuels such as coal would be pointless as the USA would provide it anyway
This was 1/2 hearted attempt to punish Italy and too little too late

Question 71

What did the league do concerning trade sanctions against both abyssinia and Italy?

Answer 71

banned members from selling arms to both Italy and Abyssinia even though Abyssinia was then left with nothing to defend themselves against Mussolini’s modern army the league knew this would make Mussolini happy and therefore he would leave their colonies alone
They appeased the aggressor for selfish gain once again

Question 72

Why is the Abyssinian crisis seen as the death of the LoN and when were they officially disbanded?

Answer 72

The League of Nations was not officially disbanded until 19 45, a day before the making of the United Nations. Their Abyssinian crisis was seen as the death of the League of Nations because people refused to listen to such a hypocritical, selfish and imperialistic league that really, was only governed by countries who cared about themselves and their empires not peace. This was all revealed to the public after the Abyssinian crisis, though had been prevalent before then.

Question 73

When did Hitler remilitarize the Rhineland?

Answer 73

7th of March 1936 and this went against the Locarno treaties and the Treaty of Versailles.
Allies didn’t sop him due to appeasement policy, Great Depression and all the rest of it.