Unit 2: To what extent was the League of Nations a success?
Structure of LoN
Aims of the League
▫ to achieve international peace and security
▫ encourage nations to disarm
▫ improve living & working conditions for people for all nations
▫ uphold and enforce the Paris Peace Treaties
LoN & International Agreements
Political Successes
The Great Depression (Oct 1929)
Political Failures
Aaland Islands (1921)
▫ islands equal distant between Finland & Sweden --> traditionally belong to Finland; people wanted to be governed by Sweden
↳ remain with Finland but no weapons
Memel (1923)
▫ was put under LoN's control; people protested
↳ area surrounding Memel given to Lithuania; port was made an international zone
Vilna (1920)
▫ in 1920, 30% of people were Poles & 2% of Lithuanians
▫ Poles seized Vilna
↳ LoN could not persuade Poles to leave; use of force by the Poles war
Ruhr Invasion (1923)
▫ Germany failed to pay reparations --> France & Belgium invaded Germany
↳ France = senior League member, set future examples + anti German?
the Assembly
▫ met once a year to decide on memberships
▫ decisions needed to be unanimous (very difficult to get member nations to agree 100% on everything)
the Council
▫ consists of GB, France, Italy & Japan (permanent members)
▫ main function: settle international disputes
▫ met 4-5 times a year
▫ members can use their veto (a right to reject a decision)
the Secretariat
▫ civil service (arrange meetings and paper work)
↳ the process was slow because it didn't have enough members
the Permanent Court of International Justice
▫ to achieve international peace & security
▫ to. uphold and enforce the Paris Peace Treaties
▫ settle disputes between countries peacefully
▫ can give legal advice to the Assembly/Council
the International Labour Organisation
▫ to improve living & working conditions for people of nations
↳ collects statistics + info about working conditions and tries to persuade member countries to adopt its suggestions
Refugee Commitee
▫ oversee the efforts to return refugees to their homes
▫ help refugees settle and work
Health Commission
▫ deal with problems of dangerous diseases + educate people about health & sanitation
Mandates Commission
▫ teams of expert advisors (report to LoN on how people in the mandates were treated)
↳ make sure GB & F acted on their interests
Slavery Commission
▫ abolish slavery around the world (many workers who weren't slaves but were treated like slaves)
Washington Conference (1921-22)
USA : GB : Japan (5 : 5 : 3)
▫ naval agreement --> prevents potential arms race
Treaty of Rapallo (1922)
▫ G & USSR not members of LoN
↳ agree to co-operate on military plan
▫ allowed Germany to break ToV terms + develop new weapons
Locarno agreement (1925)
GB ; France ; Germany
▫ western border of G fixed (Rhineland)
↳ no agreements on eastern border (Danzig + Polish corridor)
▫ Germany joins LoN
Kellog-Briand Pact (1928)
▫ 15 major powers commit to never using war/invasion as foreign policy
↳ no obligations
just a piece of 'paper' --> no mandate/force behind it
Maginat Line (France defensive border)
▫ Military fortification
▫ Both in League = no faith in League of Nation
Wall Street Crash
▫ US stock market underwent rapid expansion
▫ Panic selling | Share goes down = go down in value
▫ Economic crisis
▫ World economy was dependent on USA
Protectionism
▫ High tariffs = no more trading (trading tax on imported good)
↳ Trade collapse = hurts everyone
▫ Reduction in international trade since USA not in LoN
↳ Germany: heaviest hit because not in LoN
↳ GB: wrecked industry, worried about empire
↳ France: industrial crisis, war pension, extremist: left-wing vs right-wing
Manchurian Crisis (1931)
▫ Japan set up explosion Mukden Incident(a pretext to invade)
▫ Japan needed raw materials & space
↳ LoN = weak because gave into Japan
Abyssinian Crisis (1935-36)
▫ Mussolini invaded after a border dispute at Wal Wal 1935/Revenge battle of Adora
▫ LoN imposed sanctions: no use
1⃣ USA continued to trade with Italy
2⃣ GB allowed ships to trade through Suez Canal
Disarmament Conference 1933
▫ LoN not success in the area in 1920s
▫ 1930s increase pressure on the LoN to do sth about disarmament
▫Germany was angry when it had to disarm while others don't have to
▫ Countries even spend more on arms than before ww1
Stresa Front (Apr 1935)
▫ anti German grouping: F, GB & Italy worried about Hitler's rearmament
↳ Mussolini thought GB & F are fine with him invading Abyssinia
Hoare-Laval Pact (1935)
▫Secret Deal outside LoN with Mussolini
▫ If stop fighting = get best part of Abyssinia
▫Leak to public deathblow to reputation of LoN
▫ LoN allow a more powerful country to take over another, became a forgotten power
Anglo German Naval Agreement (Jun 1935)
▫ agreement between Nazi Germany & GB
1⃣ Germany's navy to 35% of GB's navy
2⃣ Germany construct up to 45% submarines
Anti-Comitern Pact (1936)
▫ G, Italy & Japan --> stop communism
↳ Help each other if there are any threats by communist powers
Why the LoN failed
French & British self-interests (imperialism)
Absent powers e.g USA (isolationism)
Ineffective sanctions
Lack of armed forces
Unfair peace treaties
Reaching decisions was slow (unanimous decisions)
Economic depression (rise of fascism)
Success
▫ Bombing of civilians were prohibited
▫ Chemical weapons prohibited
Failure
▫ Attempt to agree to abolish planes capable of bombing were defeated
▫ Proposal to ban the manufacture of chemical weapons was defeated