bmc hist unit 2_(the league of nations)
DESCRIPTION
The League of Nations has often been described by Historians and other social commentators as a failure of diplomacy. This set of slides will (hopefully) provide a balanced view of the League and what it hoped to achieve.TRANSCRIPT
The League of NationsBrilliant Idea or Failed Vision
Lesson Agenda By the end of the lesson, you would be able to :
o Identify and explain the ideas behind the League of Nations
o Appreciate the strengths and weaknesses of the League.
o Analyse its success stories and its failures
Formation Of The League of Nations
World War 1 convinced many leaders that there was a need for a better system to maintain peace in the future.
Before WWI = Balance of Power through secret treaties . Peace based on fear of conflict through treaty obligations.
After WW1 = new system of maintaining peace – “collective security”
o (Countries could agree not to attack each other and would also defend each other in the event of an attack)
Aims of the Leagueo Provide a way of settling international disputes
by not waging war.
o Reduce and control armaments
o Establish a system of International Law
o Encourage social and economic cooperation in the world
o Ensure International treaties were registered & contents made known
o Promote open and just relations between nations.
P,R,E,E,P
The League’s Areas of Involvement
The League was involved in the following areas:
o Mandates• Supervise Germany’s former colonies.• Allied powers governed these territories on behalf of the
League• Until they could be given self-government.
o Collective Security• Meant that if one state attacked another – all members
would act collectively to stop the aggressor• Instead of resorting to military alliances or war, the League
of Nations would allow for open discussion
Structure of the League
League of
Nations
General
Assembly Council O
f
Ambassadors
Council
SecretariatAgencies & Commissions
Strengths of the League of Nations
Strength 1: Helped solve International labour disputes and improved labour conditions.
Strength 2: Set up commissions to improve hygiene and combat diseases
o Diseases like leprosy reducedo Living and working conditions improved
Strengths of the League of Nations
Strength 3: Human rights Commission
o helped refugees & o abolished slavery.
Strength 4: Collective security - settled disputes bet. nations:
o (1921) The Aaland Islands – resolved a dispute between Sweden and Finland. Both countries accepted the decision of the League.
o (1923) Albania – The League successfully made Yugoslavia withdraw from Albania when it tried to take over Albania.
Weaknesses W1: League did not represent all the countries of
the world
o USA and Russia not members. US because of Isolationism and Russia because it was a Communist state.
o Countries could easily join and leave the league. Leave when the League objected to their actions.
o Countries not bound to accept the decisions of the League
W2: Attitudes towards the league
o Countries that signed the Treaty of Versailles had to accept the League. Treaty unpopular so League grew unpopular.
o Public opinion was against the League. Britain and France continued to make secret treaties.
Weaknesses W3: Lack of power
o Lacked peace-keeping force to counter attacks against member states.
o Worsened with the rise of Communist Russia and Nazi Germany
o Imposing economic sanctions harmful to members’ own economy.
o Lost the respect of member states as it could not enforce decisions.
W4: White Supremacy
o League associated with White domination and Imperialism.
o E.g. Japan’s seat in the Council had little impact on the decisions that were made in the league
o League could not claim to represent the nations of the world as some races were not considered as equal.
Weaknesses W5: Failed to prevent military conflict
o It failed to prevent a war between Greece and Turkey.
o In 1931, Japan invaded China and Seized Manchuria. When the League raised its protest Japan refused to comply instead withdrew from the League.
o In 1935 Mussolini, invaded Abyssinia and annexed it in 1936.
o The aggressive activities of Hitler went on unchecked - annexed Austria, Czechoslovakia and Memel.
o The league was a helpless observer to all these acts - The League was too weak an organ to solve international peace.
Reasons why the League failed
The League lacked authority
o No military power to coerce aggressor nations
o No economic power to enforce sanctions effectively
• Trade sanctions not be enforced – members trading with the aggressor outside the League.
• States more interested in solving their own economic problems.
• Unwilling to impose trade sanctions as it would harm their economies
o Without military and economic power, League could only use moral persuasion against armed aggression. This proved ineffective.
Reasons why the League failed
‘Big Powers’ interests dominated League:
o These Powers wanted to advance their own interest at the expense of others. This made Germany call it a ‘Victor’s club’.
o Selfish motives prevailed and there was no sincerity
among the members. They talked highly but acted meanly.
o Eventually lead to the breakdown in trust that affected collective security.
Reasons why the League failed
The need for unanimity:
o Actions taken required unanimity i.e. all permanent members to agree.
o If dispute - between permanent members, either one could
not support the decision – action could not be carried out.
o Some decisions required the support of all members – virtually impossible to come to a unanimous decision.
Reasons why the League failed
Absence of the US
o League was dealt with a serious blow when USA did not join – isolationism.
o Absence of US meant that league was deprived of a powerful member.
o Its presence would have been a great psychological and financial benefit for Europe.
o Many countries felt that if the US did not take the League seriously, there was no point that they should.
Lesson Recall What were the objectives of the League of
Nations
What is Collective Security?
Explain (using F,E,E,L) one of the weaknesses of the League