The League of Nations: Foundation; Downfall; Successes and Failures.

By XavierCordeiro19

  • Hague Conventions (needs majs editing)

    The first Hague Convention, started in 1899, was the

  • Peace Organisations preceding the League

    William Howard Taft, the US president who preceded Wilson, helped establish the League to Enforce Peace in 1915 in New York, along with other US statesmen, which aimed to use international collective security against future attempts at war.
    Lord Robert Cecil submitted a memorandum to the British government in 1916, supporting the creation of a peace organisation. France, Belgium, and South Africa also advocated for a peace organisation.

  • Wilson's Fourteen Points (Points 1-7)

    1. The abolition of "Secret Treaties".
    2. Free navigation of the seas at all times.
    3. Removal of economic trade barriers.
    4. Reduction of armaments for all nations.
    5. Impartial settlement of colonial disputes, considering interests of all parties.
    6. German troops to leave Russia.
    7. Independence for Belgium.

  • Wilson's Fourteen Points (Points 8-14)

    1. The Return of Alsace-Lorraine to France (See Treaty of Versailles with Germany).
    2. Readjustment of Italian frontiers in line with nationality.
    3. Self-determination for the peoples of Austria-Hungary.
    4. Evacuation and restoration of invaded Balkan countries.
    5. Self-determination for peoples of the Turkish Empire.
    6. Establishment of an independent Poland, with access to the sea. (See Treaty of Versailles with Germany).
    7. Establishment of a general association of nations.

  • The League is founded (Needs more)

    On the 28th of June, 1919, -five years after Austria officially started The Great War by declaring war on the Kingdom of Serbia, after Gavril Princip assassinated Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife- The League Of Nations was formally formed, with 42 founding members.

  • Vilna Island Dispute

    During WWI, Germany seized Vilna, but lost it upon defeat. Lithuania regained Vilna in February 1918, but lost it again when the Russians seized it in January 1919. Lithuania and Poland retaliated. However, the Polish drove out the Russians and installed order first(!)
    The Lithuanians protested that Polish control of their capital should be dealt with by the League. The League called for the removal of Polish troops. The Polish complied, but severe damage was done to Polish-Lithuanian relations.

  • Dispute over the Åland Islands

    The Åland Islands, which are comprised of over 6000 islands, is an area between Sweden and Finland. By 1921, a dispute had arisen as to who had a claim to the Islands. The vast majority of the Island's inhabitants spoke Swedish, but were separated from Sweden by deep seas, whereas they were far closer to Finland, over shallow waters. Sweden put the dispute to the League, but the League ruled in Finland's favour due to its proximity to the Islands. Cultural rights were granted to Sweden.

  • Memel Dispute

    Through the TOV, Germany lost Memel, a port region in East Prussia, shared with Lithuania. Memel became a League Mandate. Without it, Lithuania's access to the ocean was blocked. She staged a revolt, demanding action to restore access to the Baltic. Memel, located in the Klaipėda Region, had a large Lithuanian population. Its inhabitants installed a pro-Lithuanian administration, and called for a plebiscite. With the principal of self-determination, the League ceded the territory to Lithuania.