The League of Nations, 1919-30The League of Nations, 1919-30

The League of NationsThe League of Nations

A number of important principles had come out of Wilson’s 14 Points in January 1918 …

• Self-Determination• General Disarmament• Peaceful discussion of international disputes• Setting up of League of Nations

Wilson was determined to make sure that a war like the Great War would not happen in the future …

Why was the League set up ?Why was the League set up ?

Bring together all nations in a parliament to discuss and settle disputes peacefully.

Improve people’s working and living conditions; help people to become better off by improving international trade. It was believed that injustice and poverty were important causes of war.

Make war impossible by persuading all nations to disarm, not just the losing countries from the War.

Safeguard the independence of countries and their frontiers

The League had four main aims, all of which were related to Wilson’s 14 Points of January 1918 …

How was the League organised ?How was the League organised ?

The AssemblyMet once a year

One nation, one voteDecisions had to be unanimous

CouncilMet regularly to deal with incidents

4 permanent members (Britain, France, Japan, Italy)4-11 non permanent members

SecretariatDid the paperwork of the

LeaguePrepared reports

Civil Service

Court of International Justice

Based in The HagueSettled disputes in international law

15 judges

CommissionsMandatesRefugeesSlaveryHealth

International Labour Organisation

Membership …Membership …

42 countries joined at the start, rising to 60 in the 1930s

Defeated countries from WW1 could not join immediately (e.g. Germany joined in 1926)

Russia was left out – communist revolution in 1917

USA never joined – American Congress refused to the sign the Peace Treaties – Wilson was voted out of office

The League was regarded as a ‘winners only club’

Neither Britain nor France gave the League their full support

How would the League keep the peace ?How would the League keep the peace ?

If one country were aggressive to another, the League would force the aggressor to back down by: Pressure of world opinion World trade ban (economic sanctions) Force if necessary (though the League had no army)

What the members were promising to do was to take common action to defend each other in the event of an attack. This was called COLLECTIVE SECURITY.

Weaknesses of the League…Weaknesses of the League…

Certain key nations did not join (e.g. USA) – others left (Germany, 1933; Russia joined in 1934, left 1939; Japan left 1932/3; Italy left 1936)

It had no real power to enforce decisions – relied on goodwill and persuasion

No permanent military force Economic sanctions did not work Failed to achieve disarmament of

all nations in the 1930s (one of the 4 principal aims of the League)

Decision-making was slow because both Assembly and Council required unanimous votes to take action – sometimes aggressive countries had already been successful before the League got round to action

Certain key members of the Council could veto action (e.g. Italy (1935-6) and Japan (1931-2)

Neither Britain nor France gave the League their full support - they were more worried about their own empires and trade, particularly during the World Economic Crisis, 1929-35

We pause here so We pause here so you can do some (or you can do some (or

lots of!) work!!! lots of!) work!!!

Refer to our class Refer to our class produced .ppt of key events, produced .ppt of key events, treaties, etc from the 20s as treaties, etc from the 20s as well as Chapter 11 in your well as Chapter 11 in your Wolfson and Laver text.Wolfson and Laver text.

Successes Successes & & failuresfailuresin the 1920sin the 1920s

Work of the League’s commissions – particularly refugees, drug trafficking, slavery etc

International Labour Organisation – campaigning for improved working and pay conditions

Border disputes in Upper Silesia in 1921

Aaland Islands dispute, 1921 Greek invasion of Bulgaria in

1925

Vilna dispute in 1920 Greek-Turkish war 1920-22 The French and Belgian

invasion of the Ruhr in 1923 The Corfu incident in 1923 Failure of disarmament efforts

in the 1920s – Washington Naval Treaty (1922), failure to have an international conference on disarmament until 1933

Failure of self-determination in the Treaties

TOK links…TOK links…

Did the members of the League act with integrity and honesty in fulfilling the terms of the Covenant that they signed?