League of Nations
Origins
Woodrow Wilson's 14 points
Peacekeeping through collective security
Post WWI, collapse of balance of power
Association of countries to protect world peace
Structural weaknesses
Social and economic
Failures
Territorial disputes
Aaland Islands (1921): Finland awarded, Sweden accepted
Bulgaria (1925): Greece complied w/ LON to withdraw
Lack of Authority
Limited membership
Russia (Bolshevik govt 1917)
Germany (Loser in WWI)
US (Largest economy, military power)
- 400K POWs repatriated
- Administration of Saar and Danzig
- Econ advice to Austria (1922), Hungary (1923)
- International loans to other countries
Abyssinia (1935)
- LON attempted to ban arms, metal, rubber
- B & F unwilling to get involved, secretly negotiated w/ Italy
- Italy left, conquered Abyssinia
Manchuria (1931)
- Japan invaded Manchuria
- LON failed to impose sanctions
- Japan withdrew from LON, further invaded China
General assembly (2/3 vote, met once a year)
Council of permanent members (France, Japan, Britain, Italy. Unanimity required, hence had veto power)
Conference of Ambassadors overruled LON decisions. E.g. Corfu