The Collapse Of The League

Question 1

Causes of the Manchurian crisis?

Answer 1

• the Great Depression, 1929, japan suffered greatly; its main export was silk, a luxury people could not afford during the depression.
• japan became more militaristic, too look for land to invade hoping it would give them more natural resources (Manchuria in the north of china was rich in these).
• japan already had a railway and an industry there so it looked like an ideal place to invade.

Question 2

Discuss the Mukden incident?

Answer 2

-18th September 1931.
- An explosion occurred on the Japanese-owned south railway in Manchuria.
- japan blamed Chinese but china denied any involvement.

Question 3

Discuss February 1932 - Manchurian incident?

Answer 3

• the Japanese government wanted friendship with Manchuria.
• however, the army ignored this and invaded Manchuria.
• when people reacted positively the government did not stop the army’s invasion.
• soon a ‘puppet leader’ - one japan could control, was put in charge of Manchuria.

Question 4

Discuss March 1932 - Manchurian incident

Answer 4

• china appealed to the league.
• league reluctant to react as japan was on of its leading members and Manchuria was far from europe.
• however, they did issue moral condemnation.

Question 5

Discuss March 1932 - Manchurian crisis part two?

Answer 5

• japan ignored the league.
• little the league could do without its own army.
• economic sanctions would be useless because japans main trade parter is the USA who are not part of the league.

Question 6

Manchurian crisis - April 1932

Answer 6

• the league sent British politician lord lytton
• it took him nearly a year to write his report (published October 1932)
• by then japan had invaded Manchuria
• they ignored the report and left the league
• went on to occupy more Chinese territory from 1933 to 1937

Question 7

Consequences of the Manchurian crisis?

Answer 7

• one of the leagues own members ignored moral condemnation and orders to withdraw
• without army league was powerless.
• however, most people still had faith in league - thought if it happened again then they would be able to deal with it.
• other militaristic countries like Italy and Germany saw how powerless the League of Nations really was.

Question 8

Why did the league fail in Manchuria?

Answer 8

• Lytton report took too long
• the depression was already damaging world trade and league members were unwilling to impose economic sanctions
• didn’t want to commit resources because Asia was far away and not as vital as other countries in Europe.
• countries unwilling to take military action because it would be too expensive and unpopular with the public.

Question 9

Causes of the Abyssinian crisis?

Answer 9

• wanted to build Roman empire again by invading countries.
• lots of natural resources in Abyssinia, useful for Italy during depression.
• Mussolini wanted revenge after an embarrassing defeat to Abyssinia in 1896.
• confident league would not be able to stop him, as they backed down to him during Corfu crisis in 1923.
• stress a front, thought britain and France wouldn’t endanger new agreement by trying to stop him.

Question 10

December 1934 - Abyssinian crisis?

Answer 10

• Italian troops clashed with abyssinians at Wal Wal. The league failed to stop Mussolini, who was intent on war.

Question 11

January 1935 - Abyssinian crisis?

Answer 11

• Pierre Laval (french foreign minister), made secret agreement with Italy. Mussolini could deal with Abyssinia however he wanted and France would not interfere.

Question 12

30th June 1936 - Abyssinian crisis

Answer 12

• the Abyssinian emperor, haile selassie addressed the league but the league did nothing.

Question 13

October 1935 - Abyssinian crisis?

Answer 13

• Italian troops entered Abyssinia.
• the league condemned invasion.
• but Mussolini ignored them and even used chemical weapons.

Question 14

5th may 1936 - Abyssinia crisis?

Answer 14

• Italian troops entered the capital, Addis Ababa.

Question 15

September 1937 - Abyssinian crisis?

Answer 15

• Italy left the league.

Question 16

Discuss how the Hoare-Laval pact caused the league to fail?

Answer 16

• it was a secret agreement suggested by the British and french foreign ministers.
• they wanted to give Mussolini land in Abyssinia.
• the press leaked the plan and there was public outcry.
• leader members had proven that they were willing to undermine the league for their own self-interest.

Question 17

What did the league to do Abyssinia during the crisis?

Answer 17

• they banned sales of arms to Abyssinia, which left them defenceless.

Question 18

Sanctions on Italy during Abyssinia crisis?

Answer 18

• they imposed trade sanctions on Italy.
• it failed to ban steel, oil and coal as it felt it would damage their member’s economies.
• they were resources Italy could use to build weapons and for an invasion.

Question 19

The Suez Canal - Abyssinian crisis?

Answer 19

• Britain and France did not close this.
• this might have made it difficult for Mussolini to get troops to Abyssinia.
• but they did want to upset Mussolini.

Question 20

Consequences for the league because of the Abyssinian crisis?

Answer 20

• they has shown they cared more about their own interests.
• small countries knew the league could and would do nothing to protect them.
• From then onwards, almost no one regarded the league as a serious or powerful organisation.

Question 21

The depression and the rise of extremist parties.

Answer 21

• in October 1929, the US economy crashed. The use has lent lots of money to countries during the First World War to help them rebuild after the; therefore when the us crashed - so did everyone else
• depression brought vast unemployment, homelessness and starvation on a global scale. In these desperate times people started to lose confidence in their governments and they wanted to demand change.
• many won over by promises of dictators.
• eg hit let promised he would make Germany great again by invading countries, he said this would end the depression as it would bring employment in factories and soldiers in the army.
• in japan army took over countries, Stalin controlled the ussr and in Italy Mussolini ruled as a dictator.

Question 22

The failure of the league to avert war in 1939?

Answer 22

• turned to extremist and militaristic leaders. This meant it was less likely for those countries to follow the peace of the league.
• the league had no army which meant Mussolini and Hitler could ignore them.
• they were not afraid of the leagues moral condemnation, and governments could not afford to in force trade sanctions as their economy was also weak due to the depression, and they could not afford to lose deals.
• these conditions made war inevitable because league was powerless to stop it.