chapter 4 part one (weaknesses of lon)
TRANSCRIPT
Chapter 4: Outbreak of WWII in Europe
Lesson Objectives
1) Weaknesses of the LON2) Hitler’s Expansionist Goals
Weaknesses of LON
Weaknesses of LON
i) Failure to Disarmii) Failure to maintain world
peace/resolve conflicts
Failure to Disarm
In the 1920s and 1930s, there were efforts at disarmament to reduce the chances of another war.
However, most of the successes were led by powerful nations and not the League.
Failure to Disarm
Successes at limiting weapons: Efforts apart from the LON▪ Washington Conference (1921)
Set ratio for tonnage of capital ships
Failure to Disarm
Successes at limiting weapons: Efforts apart from the LON▪ Locarno Treaties (1925)
Guaranteed French and Belgian borders with Germany
Demilitarisation of the Rhineland
What is the Rhineland? A German territory west of the
Rhine River along the French border.
Failure to Disarm
Failures: Efforts by the LON League Commission to prepare for
World Disarmament Conference (1926)▪ Britain and France not cooperative
World Disarmament Conference (1932-1934)▪ Hitler withdrew from conference and LON
Failure to Disarm
Learning Points▪ USA seemed to command more respect
than LON▪ National interests of major powers like
Britain and France were more important than those of the LON▪ LON’s failure at disarmament
atmosphere of tension and distrust
Abyssinian Crisis (1935)
Italy was interested in Abysinnia▪ Revenge for 1896 Defeat▪ Restoring ‘Roman Empire’▪ Abyssinia’s mineral wealth▪ Italy had interests in neighbouring Somalia
Mussolini
Abyssinian Crisis (1935)
What did the League do?▪ Imposed trade sanctions on Italy
Not painful enough – oil, coal, steel not sanctioned.
League members cared for their own economic interests
Abyssinian Crisis (1935)
What did Britain and France do?▪ Suez Canal left open to Italian ships –
Italian war supplies could proceed to Abyssinia▪ Hoare-Laval Pact
Abyssinian Crisis (1935)
Results? Rome-Berlin Axis est. in 1936 LON’s failure to act encouraged
Hitler’s expansionist aims - no country or organisation could stop him if he were to pursue his aggressive policies
Hitler’s Expansionist Policy
Withdrawal from LON/ Geneva Conference (Oct 1933) Hitler demanded that France disarm
to same level as Germany did under TOV France refused – why? Hitler withdraws
from conference and LON
Hitler free to re-introduce conscription and rearmament in violation of TOV
Conscription and RearmamentHitler began to build up
Germany’s air force (Luftwaffe) and reintroduce conscription 1935: plans for 2,500-plane Luftwaffe and 550,000 army put in place VIOLATING TOV
Hitler claimed that these were defensive acts
Conscription and Rearmament Countries like Britain and France
were unwilling to risk another war – why? – and did not act decisively against German violations Britain even signed the Anglo-German
Agreement in 1935 which allowed Germany to build up her navy
Conscription and Rearmament What do you think was the impact of
British and French responses (or the lack thereof)?
Independent Activity!!
1) You will be assigned to study one of the following events:
Remilitarisation of RhinelandSpanish Civil WarAnschluss (Union with Austria)Munich AgreementNazi-Soviet Pact
2) Fill in the graphic organizer (Annex A)