Part 2 - The League of Nations and International Peace

Question 1

What was the LofN?

Answer 1

Basically a world Parliament - to ensure world peace.

Question 2

Why was the LofN formed?

Answer 2

• To stop wars
• To encourage disarmament
• To improve conditions for workers
• To tackle deadly diseases

Question 3

Where was the LofN based?

Answer 3

In Geneva, Switzerland.

Question 4

How many countries joined the LofN?

Answer 4

42 - this rose to 58 by 1934

Question 5

Which countries made up the council?

Answer 5

Britain, France, Italy and Japan.

Question 6

How did the LofN plan to deal with aggression?

Answer 6

Step 1 = Mitigation:
getting countries to talk through the problems

Step 2 = Moral condemnation:
telling the aggressive country off.

Step 3 = Economic sanctions:
they would stop trade with the aggressive country.

Question 7

What was the assembly?

Answer 7

It could have a member from every country. It was there for countries to discuss international affairs.

Question 8

What was the role of the Assembly?

Answer 8

The Assembly was in charge of deciding when a new country could join, electing judges and deciding how to spend the LofN’s money.

To pass any new motion then the vote had to be unanimous.

Question 9

What was the Council?

Answer 9

It was there to make decisions when the Assembly couldn’t meet.

Question 10

What was the Permanent Court of International Justice?

Answer 10

It was a council where countries could bring their problems and the court could give ADVICE.

Question 11

What were the strengths of the LofN?

Answer 11

1) It was written in to all peace treaties after WW1
2) It had a vast membership.
3)As there were so many members economic sanctions was a big threat.

Question 12

What were the weaknesses of the LofN?

Answer 12

1)Important countries didn’t join such as the USA - reducing the threat of economic sanctions.
2) The LofN had no army.
3) Decisions had to be unanimous.

Question 13

How did the LofN help people?

Answer 13

They had many different agencies that worked to improve disease spreading and working conditions.

Question 14

Name some of the LofN’s agencies?

Answer 14

• International Labour Organisation
• Commission for Refugees
• Slavery Commission
• Economic and Financial Committee
• Health Committee

Question 15

What happened in the Aaland Islands and what did the the LofN do?

Answer 15

1921

Sweden and Finland both claimed the Aaland Islands.

The LofN gave the island to Finland but forbid both countries to build forts on the island.

Both countries accepted the decision.

Question 16

What happened in the Upper Silesia and what did the the LofN do?

Answer 16

1921-1925

A plebiscite was held to decide whether Germany or Poland should own Upper Silesia. Germany won the vote, but Poland claimed that the vote was rigged.

The LofN split Upper Silesia into areas depending on how they had voted.

Both countries grudgingly accepted the decision.

Question 17

What happened in Bulgaria and what did the the LofN do?

Answer 17

1925

Greece invaded Bulgaria when Greek soldiers were killed on the border.

The LofN forced Greece to withdraw and pay compensation.

Question 18

What happened in Corfu and what did the the LofN do?

Answer 18

1923

An Italian general and his team were murdered in Greece. Mussolini invaded Corfu.

The LofN condemned Italy but he undermined them, complaining to Conference of Ambassadors. Greece was forced to apologise and pay compensation.

This showed that the LofN could be undermined by large countries.

Question 19

What happened in Vilna and what did the the LofN do?

Answer 19

1920-1921

The Polish army invaded Lithuania, Lithuania was a new nation.

The League did nothing when Lithuania asked for help because Poland was a strong ally against Germany.

Question 20

Name some of the International Agreements that the LofN wasn’t included in.

Answer 20

• Locarno Treaty = a treaty between Germany and France to improve relations.
• Kellogg-Briand Pact = 65 countries agreed not to go to war.
• Rapallo Treaty = a treaty between Germany and Russia so they would cooperate.
• Washington Arms Conference = Britain and USA would have same sized navy.

Question 21

What happened in 1929?

Answer 21

The Wall Street Crash which leads to the Great Depression.

Question 22

How to the the Great Depression affect the LofN?

Answer 22

The Great Depression led to more extremist leader becoming popular so leaders such as Mussolini and Hitler were elected.

Question 23

Why did Japan invade Manchuria?

Answer 23

Manchuria has fertile farmland, industry and natural resources. Which could help Japan’s economy after the Great Depression

Question 24

What was the timeline of the Manchurian Crisis?

Answer 24

1. 1931(18th of September) Mukden Incident took place.
2. 1932 (January) Japan invades Shanghai.
3. 1932 (February) Most of Manchuria is under Japanese control.
4. 1932 (March) China turns to the LofN for help.

Question 25

What was the Mukden Incident?

Answer 25

18th of September 1931 there were an explosion on the Japanese railway in Manchuria. Japan claims it’s China.

The Chinese denied this claim.

The Japanese army used this as an excuse to take over Manchuria.

The people were happy but the Japenese government wasn’t but they had no choice but they had to go along with it.

Japan renamed Manchuria Manchukuo and put an old Chinese empror in place.

Question 26

Why was the LofN reluctant to act in Manchuria?

Answer 26

• Many felt that Japan was entitled to Manchuria.
• China was far away from Geneva so many felt that it was too far away.
• Japan was a powerful member of the LofN

Question 27

So what did the League do in Manchuria?

Answer 27

They sent Lord Lytton to see what had happened, in October 1932 it was published saying that Japan was in the wrong but by this time it was too late.

Question 28

Why did Mussolini want to invade Abyssinia?

Answer 28

• He had promised to rebuild the Roman Empire.
• Invasion would be easy as Italy owned colonies around Abyssinia
• It would be good for the economy
  Mussolini wanted revenge for when the Italian army had been beaten in 1896.

Question 29

Why did Mussolini think Britain and France would not interfere?

Answer 29

As they had signed the Stresa Front, a treaty they all had against Hitler. Mussolini knew that his support was vital therefore Britain and France wouldn’t do anything to upset him.

Question 30

Timeline of the Abyssinian Crisis?

Answer 30

December 1934 Italians and Abyssinians clashed at Wal Wal.

The LofN tried but failed to intervene.

On October 3rd 1935 Mussolini invaded using modern technology to terrorise the Abyssinians.

Haile Selassie addressed saying Abyssinia needed help, but the LofN did nothing

On the 5th of May 1936 Mussolini took the capital of Abyssinia.

Question 31

Why did the LofN fail in Abyssinia?

Answer 31

1. Failure to close the Suez Canal = if they had closed the canal then Mussolini wouldn’t have been able to get supplie and troops.
2. Trade Sanctions = the LofN didn’t decide what to ban to trade with Italy quick enough and countries such as Britain didn’t listen as they still needed the trade.
3. The Hoare Laval Pact

Question 32

What was the Hoare-Laval Pact?

Answer 32

In secret the British and French foreign ministers (Hoare and Laval) were sent to Italy to come up with an agreement.

They decided that Italy would be given the fertile/useful areas of Abyssinia

Abyssinia was not envoloved in this plan.

Question 33

Reasons the LofN was destined to fail?

Answer 33

• it didn’t have an army
• trade sanction were ineffective because of the USA
• Big countries weren’t scared of moral condemnation.
• It only met once a year
• The Great Depression meant that there were more aggressive leaders and countries were self involved.