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Aims of the League
-discourage agression
-promote disarmament
-encourage nations to co-operate in areas like business and trade
-improve living conditions of people across the world
-collective security -
The League's Sucesses and Failures in the 1920s (pt1)
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Period: to
The League of Nations
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League Structure
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League of Nation Membership
membership was open to all countries, how ever there were 3 crucial absences
WHAT: Germany, USSR, USA
WHY:
-GER (had to prove they were peaceful following WW1 under LoN. joined in 1926)
-USSR(prevented from joining as they were communist but didn't want to join anyway as the leaders were its enemies. joined in 1934)
-USA (congress voted against them joining, following isolationism. never joined)
SIGNIFICANCE: the league was the brainchild of the US, a crucial "keystone was missing -
The Successes and Failures of the League in the 1920s (pt2)
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how did the depression affect the League?
-destroyed prosperity of the 1920s. wipes out Germany's economic recovery from 1924
-massive unemployment, poverty, desperation and despair
-this led to increased support of extremist parties who used violence and aggressive policies
-In Japan, Italy and Germany, militarism became more influential
-major powers in the League like UK and FRA no longer saw League as a priority -
The Manchurian Invasion
WHAT: Japan invades Manchuria, a province of China, claiming chinese soldiers had sabotaged the railway and they were acting in self defense.
WHY: -population growing rapidly, Japan needed more land and raw materials
-Manchuria had vast resources of coal and iron that Japan lacked and needed as they aimed to increase militarism.
- exports of silk and rice were affected due to depression. -
The Manchurian Crisis (cont.)
- a year after the invasion, the Lytton Commission reccomended Manchuria be returned to the Chinese SIGNIFICANCE: lack of army meant countries had to be persuaded to declare war on Japan -Manchuria was very remote -without the USA, main trading partner, League could not agree on arms sanctions on Japan. -showed the league was powerless to strong nations CONSEQUENCES: Japan left the League in 1933. A puppet government (Manchuko) was established, and Japan kept control of Manchuria until 1945
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Why did Mussolini invade Abyssinia?
-In 1896 Italian troops had tried to invade Abyssinia but had been defeated
-Mussolini wanted revenge and the glory of conquest
- He also wanted the fertile land and mineral wealth
-On 3 October 1935, Mussolini invades Abyssinia -
why did the league fail to solve the Abyssinian Crisis
-Leauge undemined by Hoare-Laval Pact in 1935. UK and FRA diplomats tried to offer Mussolini 2/3 of Abyssinia in exchange for calling off invasion
-Both Britain and France were alarmed at events in Germany. They wanted to keep Mussolini on their side against Hitler
-UK and FRA did not want Mussolini to leave the League of Nations, as they had just formed the Stesa Pact in 1934. -
The League's Reaction to Abyssinia
-they banned arms, loans, imports and exports, but crucially did not ban oil. it feared Americans would not support sanctions or members' economic interests.
-in UK, 30,000 coal miners would lose their jobs due to the ban on coal exports to italy
-the Suez Canal, owned by UK and FRA was not closed to Mussolini. This wouldve ended the invasion very quickly, but they were afraid it would result in war. -
was Abyssinia or Manchuria more detrimental to the League?
-both countries invaded by major powers who were permanent members of the council. only effective in dealing with smaller countries (i.e 1920s)
-Hoare-Laval pact ruined the moral authority of the Leauge
-Britain refused to close the Suez Canal, which they operate which wouldve easily paralyzed Mussolini
-Britain had neighbouring colonies, i.e Somaliland could've sent in an army without risking their own OVERALL: Abyssinia.