The League of Nations

Question 1

What happened in Upper Silesia in 1921 and what did the LON do?

Answer 1

• German and Polish people wanted control of it since it was rich in iron and steel industry and plebicite organised in 1920 for Silesians to vote for which country they wanted to join
• LON divided a region along lines of Germany or Poland, but built many safeguards
• Safeguarded rail links between countries and made arrangements for water and power supplies from one side of the border to the other
• Both countries accepted

Question 2

What happened in Vilna in 1920 and what did the LON do?

Answer 2

• Population largely Polish and in 1920 a private Polish army simply took control of it
• Capital of Lithuania
• LON protested to Poland, but Poland did not withdraw
• LON did nothing

Question 3

What happened in Aaland Islands in 1921 and what did the LON do?

Answer 3

• Both Sweden and Finland wanted control over the islands and threatened to fight
• The Lon said isalnds should go to Finland, and bothe countries accepted

Question 4

What happened in Corfu in 1923 and what did the LON do?

Answer 4

• Border between Greece and Albania needed to be sorted and Italian general Tellini sent to supervise it
• Tellini murdered on Aigust 27 and blamed Greek govt
• Demanded they pay compensation on August 29 and execute the murderers
• Greeks did not know who killed them so on August 31 occupied Corfu killing 15
• September 7 the LON condemned Mussolinis actions and told Greece to pay compensation but money held by LON until murdereres found
• Mussolini accepted

Question 5

What happened in Bulgaria in 1925 and what did the LON do?

Answer 5

• Greek troops invaded Bulgaria in Oct 1925 after an incident on the border where some soldiers were kiiled
• LON condemned the Greek action and ordered Greece to pull out and pay compensation
• Faced with the disapproval of the of the major powers

Question 6

What were the Locarno Treaties?

Answer 6

• In 1925 Gustave Stesemann, the German foreign minister realised tension between Germany and France couldn’t continue so he met with French foreign minister Aristide Briand to improve relations
• In Oct 1925 Stresemann and Briand met at Locarno , Switzerland, and in December, signed 7 treaties: Belgium, Poland, Britain, Czechoslovakia and Itlay also attended and signed the treaties
• Germany was treated as an equal not an aggressor. Many felt that it marked an end to German resentment over Versailles and a sign Germany weanted a peaceful nation

Question 7

Terms of the Locarno treaties?

Answer 7

• Germany accepted the borders defined in the ToV, giving up the claim to Alsace Lorraine
• All countries agreed to protect any country attacked by one of the others
• All countries agreed to not go to war with each other
• Rhineland made a neutral region, no country could send troops there
• France and Germany agreed to work together for a peaceful settlement of disputes
• Fr and Ge agreed to submit all future disputes to an international authority

Question 8

What was the Kellog Briand Pact?

Answer 8

• Aristide Briand proposed a peace treaty between the USA and France, banning war between them
• US President Coolidge and Secretary of State Frank B. Kellogg were not enthusiastic about the arrangement
• USA proposed to let all nations join
• In August 1928, 62 countries including Germany signed the Kellog Briand Pact
• An agreement to not use war to resolve disputes or conflicts of whatever nature or of whatever origin they may be