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The League Was Formed
What was it?
Aims
Membership
Organization
Was the League powerful? -
Vilna Dispute (Border FAILURE)
When Poland took control of Vilna (Lithuania), the League protested to Poland, but she didn't withdrew.
The League did nothing. Britain didn't want to act alone and France thought Poland could ally with Germany. -
Aaland Islands Dispute (Border SUCCESS)
The League said the islands should belong to Finland. Sweden and Finland agreed. -
Washington Conference (Only Disarmament ACHIEVEMENT)
USA, Britain, France and Japan agreed to limit the size of their navies. -
Austria's Financial Reconstruction (Economic SUCCESS)
The League sent experts to help. -
Turkish Crisis (Refugee SUCCESS)
The League set up camps and fed thousands of refugees. -
Hungary's Financial Reconstruction (Economic SUCCESS)
The League sent experts to help. -
Corfu Incident (Border FAILURE)
After General Tellini was murdered, Italy occupied Corfu. The League wasn't hard to Italy, as she was a permanent member of the League.
The CONFERENCE OF AMBASSADORS overruled the League's order to Mussolini to leave, forced Greece to apologize and pay compensation to Italy. -
Dawes Plan (Economic DEVELOPMENT)
Helped to sort out Germany's economic chaos and get the economies of Britain and France moving again.
+ Reduced tension. When countries were trading with each one another, they were less likely to go to war with each other.
- Made them dependent of US loans. -
The Geneva Protocol (FAILURE)
Meant to strengthen the League after Corfu Incident, said that if two members were in dispute they would ask the League for help and accept their decision.
Britain refused to sign it, so it ended up weakening the League. -
Bulgaria Incident (Border SUCCESS)
Greece invaded Bulgaria, but withdrew when the League ordered her to pull out and pay compensation to Bulgaria.
Didn't fail because of COLLECTIVE SECURITY.
Greece complained because it seemed to be one rule for bigger countries (like Italy) and other for smaller ones (like Greece). -
Locarno Treaties (DEVELOPMENT)
Agreement between France, Britain, Germany, Italy, Belgium, Poland and Czechoslovakia.
.Germany accepted the borders with France and Belgium.
.Germany accepted the Rhineland would remain demilitarised.
.France and Germany agreed to settle disputes through the League.
.Britain and Italy guaranteed to protect France from Germany.
Greeted with terrific enthusiasm, paved the way for Germany to join the League. Poland and Czechoslovakia wondered if Germany would respect if eastern borders. -
Disarmament Commission (Disarmament FAILURE)
No effects until 1932. -
Germany Joins the League
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Kellog-Briand Pact (DEVELOPMENT)
Supported by 65 nations, agreed on not to use war as a method of ending international disputes and keep their armies as "self-defense". Greeted as a turning point in history.
There was nothing in the pact about what would happen if a state broke the terms.
Didn't help with disarmament (nations didn't trust each other).
NOT AN INITIATIVE FROM THE LEAGUE. -
Was the League Successful in the 1920s?
FAILURES:
Vilna, 1920
Corfu, 1923
Invasion of the Ruhr, 1923
Geneva Protocol, 1924
Disarmament Commission, 1926
NEITHER:
Jobs: at least they tried to improve the conditions
Dawes Plan, 1924
Locarno Treaties, 1925
Kellogg-Briand Pact, 1928
SUCCESES:
Aaland Islands, 1921
Turkish Refugee Crisis, 1922
Bulgaria, 1925
Health
Drug Trade
Slavery
Austria and Hungary Financial Recovery
Washington Conference, 1921
THERE WASN'T ANY WAR
Simply by existing, it was already a success or development. -
WALL STREET CRASH
Led to an economic depression or crisis throughout the world, which evaporated the 1920s goodwill. Countries started to worry about themselves, not caring for the other nations. -
Invasion of Manchuria
As a consequence of how the Depression affected Japan, her army invaded Manchuria, bombed Shanghai and was planning on invading more of China.
The League was powerless: without the US, economic sanctions were meaningless, Britain wanted to keep good relationships, they feared Japan would start a war and Britain and France weren't willing on risk their navies or armied.
The League claimed it was a special case, too far away for them. Both Hitler and Mussolini looked on interest. -
Disarmament Conference
After 6 years, it got under way.
The resolutions made by July 1932 were: prohibit bombing of civilian populations and chemical warfares, and limit size of artillery and tonnage of tanks. However, there was no way to show how it would be achieved.
Hitler withdrew from the Conference and the League in October 1933, and by this point all powers knew he was secretly rearming, and they also began to rebuild their armies.
Each country was looking after itself and ignoring the League. -
Japan Leaves the League
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Germany Leaves the League
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Invasion of Abyssinia
Long Process. The desperation of the members to keep Mussolini by their side made them go against the Covenant.
Some Concepts: Stresa Pact, Laval-Hoare Pact.
Mussolini obtains Abyssinia, which caused a disaster for the League: collective security was an empty promise, it was a clear-cut case so the League lost its prestige. Unlike Manchuria, they had no excuse. Italy was a European power and Abyssinia bordered British colonies. It was near them, not like Japan.
Meanwhile, Hitler watched. -
Italy Leaves the League
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Why did the League fail in the 1930s?
.The self interest of the leading members.
.The US and other important countries were absent.
.Lack of troops.
.Decisions were slow.
.Economic sanctions didn't work.
.The treaties it had to uphold were seen as unfair.
