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Ballot
A ballot was taken by the L of N Union in Britain in 1934-35. It showed that a majority of British people supported the use of military force to defend Abyssinia if necessary. -
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Phase 1
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Stresa Pact
Brits and the French signed an agreement with Mussolini called the Stresa Pact. This formailsed a protest at German rearmament and a commitment to stand united against Germany. -
British Politicians 'Gets Tough'
AT an assembly of the League, the British Foreign Minister, Hoare, made a grand speech about the value of collective security, to the delight of the LEague's members and all the smaller nations. There was much tlaking and negotiating. However, the League never actually did anything to discourage Mussolini. -
Mussolini Rejects Offer
After eight months' deliberation, a committee reported to the League that neither side could be held responsible for the Wal-Wal incident. The League put foward a plan that would give Mussolini some of Abyssinia. Mussolini rejected it. -
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Phase 2
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Mussolini' Army is ready
Mussolini launched a full-sclae invasion of Abyssinia. Depite resistance, the Abyssinians were not match for the modern Italian army equipped with tanks, aeroplanes and poison gas. -
The Covenant
The Covenant made it clear that sactions must be introduced against the aggressor. A committee was immediately set up to agree what anctions to impose. Sactions would ONLY WORK if they were imposed quickly and decisively. -
Immediate ban on Arms Sales and others
THe League imposed and immediate ban on arms sales to Italy while allowing them to Abyssinia. It also banned all loans to Italy. It banned all imports from Italy. It banned the export to Italy of rubber, tin and metals. -
Secret Dealing between British and the French
In December 1935, while sanctions discussions were still taking place, the british and french Foreign Ministers, Hoare and Laval, were hatching a plan. This aimed to give Mussolini two-thirds of Abyssinia in return for his calling off his invasion. Laval even proposed to put the plan to Mussolini before they showed it to either the League fo Nations or Haile Selassie. -
League Delays Decision for Two Months
The League delayed a decision for two months over whether to ban oil exports to Italy, It freated the Americans would not support the sanctions. It also feared that its members' economic interests would be further damaged. In Britain, the Cabinet was informed that 30,000 British coal miners were about to lose their jobs because of the ban on coal exports to Italy. -
Details of Secret Plan Leaked
Details of the secret plan were leaked to the French press. Haile Selassie demanded an immediate League debate about it. In both Britain and France it was seen as a blatamt act of treachery against the League. Hoare and Labal were both 'sacked'. -
Suez Canal
The Suez canal, which was owned by Britain and France, was not closed to Mussolini's supply ships. The canal was the Italians' main supply route to Abyssinia and closing it could have ended the Abyssinian campaign very quickly. Both Britain and France were afraid that closing the canal could have resulted in war with Italy, -
Committee Concludes-But it is too late
In February 1936, the committee concluded that if they did stop oil sales to Italy, the Italians' supplies would be exhausted in two months, even if the Americans kept on selling oil to them. But by then it was all too late. -
Mussolini Takes Over Large Parts of Abyssinia
Mussolini had taken over large parts of Abyssina, and the Americans were even more disgusted with the ditherings of the French and the British than they had been before and so blocked a move to support the League's sanctions, -
Fatal Blow from Hitler
Hitler marched is troops into the Rineland, an act prohibited by the Treaty of Versailles. If there had been any hope of getting the French to support sactions against Italy, it was now dead. -
Mussolini Takes Over the Capital of Abyssinia
Italy continued to defy the League's orders and by May 1936 had taken the capital of Abyssinia, Addis Ababa. -
Haile Selassie is forced into Exile
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Mussolini 'obtains' Abyssinia
On 9 May, Mussolini formally annexed the entire country. The League watched helplessly. The League of Nations had failed. -
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'Extra' Phase
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Mussolini and Hitler
If the British and French had hoped that their handling of the Abyssinian crisis would help strengthen their position against Hitler, they were soon proved very wrong. In November 1936, Mussolini and Hitler signed an agreement of their own called the Rome-Berlin axis.
