LON

• How did the Depression affect the League's work in the 1930s?

  • Economic collapse in the USA after 1929
  • International trade slumped due to tariffs
  • Worldwide depression caused bankruptcies and instability
  • Disarmament talks failed due to national interests
  • International cooperation weakened as nations focused on domestic issues
  • League's authority undermined by inability to address the crisis
  • Examples: Japan's invasion of Manchuria, Italy's invasion of Abyssinia
• What areas did the League focus on in its humanitarian work?

  • Refugees
  • Working conditions
  • Health
  • Slavery
  • Overall success/failure
  • Historical evidence of success/failure
  • Factors influencing success/failure
• How did the League's humanitarian work impact living conditions?

  • Addressed urgent human suffering
  • Helped return 400,000 prisoners of war
  • Improved working conditions through the ILO
  • Gathered health data to combat diseases
  • Suppressed slavery and forced labor
  • Promoted international road safety and drug trafficking prevention
• What was the economic situation in Europe after WWI?

  • Many European economies were in ruins
  • League facilitated economic cooperation for rebuilding
  • Dawes Plan resolved German reparations crisis
  • Increased trade promoted stability
• What were the limitations of the League's internationalism in the early 1920s?

  • National interests often outweighed cooperation
  • League struggled to enforce decisions against powerful nations
  • Historians noted the "illusion of internationalism"
  • Moral authority undermined by reliance on powerful members
• What were the outcomes of disarmament efforts by the League?

  • Limited success in achieving disarmament
  • Washington Conference limited naval armaments
  • Geneva Disarmament Conference failed due to national self-interest
  • Germany's demand for equality in armaments was a key issue
• What were some international agreements of the 1920s?

  • 1921 Upper Silesia: divided between Poland and Germany
  • 1921 Aaland Islands: ruled in favor of Finland
  • 1923 Corfu Incident: Mussolini ignored League's ruling
  • 1924 Dawes Plan: related to economic recovery
  • 1925 Locarno Treaties: guaranteed borders in Western Europe
  • 1928 Kellogg-Briand Pact: outlawed war
  • 1929 Young Plan: revised German reparations
• What does the cartoon "BLITZKRIEG DER BÜROKRATIE" suggest about the League?

  • Critiques bureaucracy hindering peace efforts
  • Depicts excessive paperwork as a barrier
  • Reflects limited successes and failures in major crises
  • Highlights historians' debates on League's effectiveness
• What was the Geneva Protocol and its outcome?

  • Proposed compulsory arbitration in disputes
  • Failed due to Britain's refusal to sign
  • Weakened the League's ability to prevent war
• What was the outcome of the Bulgaria incident in 1925?

  • Greece invaded Bulgaria after a border incident
  • League condemned Greece and demanded withdrawal
  • Greece complied due to pressure from Britain and France
• What were the outcomes of the Vilna, Aaland Islands, and Corfu incidents?

  • Vilna: Poland seized it; League's condemnation failed
  • Aaland Islands: League ruled in favor of Finland, success
  • Corfu: Mussolini ignored League's ruling, failure
• How successful were the League's peacekeeping attempts in the 1920s?

  • Mixed record of successes and failures
  • Successes often involved smaller powers
  • Failures involved powerful states acting in self-interest
  • Lacked strong enforcement mechanisms
• What were the main agencies and commissions of the League?

  • Mandates Commission: Oversaw former colonies
  • Refugees Committee: Addressed refugee crises
  • Slavery Commission: Suppressed slavery and forced labor
  • Health Committee: Improved health and sanitation
• What were the main aims of the League of Nations?

  • Discourage aggression from any nation
  • Encourage cooperation in trade and business
  • Promote disarmament among nations
  • Improve living and working conditions globally
• What is the principle of collective security in the League of Nations?

  • Article 10: Protect independence and integrity
  • Collective action against aggression
  • Requires members to prioritize others' defense
• What were the key features of the League of Nations' membership?

  • Initially 42 member states
  • Britain and France as leading members
  • Germany joined in 1926
  • USSR joined in 1934, expelled in 1939
  • Absence of the USA weakened authority
  • Japan and Italy were initial permanent members
• What are the main bodies of the League of Nations?

  • The Assembly: Parliament, one vote per member
  • The Council: Smaller group, veto power, dealt with disputes
  • The Secretariat: Civil service, led by Secretary-General
  • Permanent Court of International Justice: Legal advice and dispute resolution
  • International Labour Organisation: Improved working conditions
  • Other Commissions: Addressed mandates, refugees, slavery, health
• What were the main weaknesses in the League of Nations' organisation?

  • Lack of an army, relied on member states
  • Slow decision-making due to unanimous votes
  • Veto power of permanent members
  • Absence of the USA weakened authority
  • National interests prioritized over collective security
  • Complex and bureaucratic structure
• What were some early successes of the League of Nations in the 1920s?

  • Aaland Islands: Mediated dispute between Sweden and Finland
  • Upper Silesia: Divided region between Poland and Germany
  • Bulgaria: Condemned Greek invasion, Greece withdrew
  • Humanitarian work: Refugee resettlement, combating disease, improving working conditions
• What were some early failures of the League of Nations in the 1920s?

  • Vilna: Poland refused to withdraw despite condemnation
  • Corfu Incident: Mussolini ignored League's ruling
• How did the Great Depression affect the League of Nations in the 1930s?

  • Countries prioritized national interests over cooperation
  • Disarmament became less likely
  • Aggressive nations took risks amid domestic issues
  • League's authority undermined by economic crisis
• Why did the League of Nations fail to achieve significant disarmament?

  • Countries unwilling to disarm unilaterally
  • Geneva Disarmament Conference failed due to disagreements
  • Rise of aggressive regimes made disarmament risky
  • League lacked enforcement power
• Why was the Manchurian Crisis a major failure for the League of Nations?

  • Japan invaded Manchuria, ignored League's orders
  • China appealed to the League for help
  • League's condemnation was ineffective
  • Damaged League's credibility and encouraged aggression
• Why was the Abyssinian Crisis a major failure for the League of Nations?

  • Italy invaded Abyssinia, League condemned aggression
  • Weak sanctions imposed, did not include oil
  • Britain and France reluctant to act strongly
  • Exposed League's weakness and unwillingness to enforce security
• How did the absence of the USA impact the League of Nations?

  It weakened the League's authority and resources
• How did the League's humanitarian work compare to its peacekeeping efforts?

  Humanitarian work was a significant achievement
• What factors contributed to the League's failure to prevent major conflicts in the 1930s?

  Economic issues, Manchuria, and Abyssinia crises
• What was the significance of the League's inability to deal with aggressive powers?

  It damaged the League's credibility significantly
• What was the outcome of the Geneva Disarmament Conference?

  It ultimately failed due to disagreements
• What was the League's response to the Corfu Incident?

  Mussolini ignored the League's ruling initially
• What was the League's role in the Aaland Islands dispute?

  Successfully mediated between Sweden and Finland
• What did the League of Nations lack that contributed to its weaknesses?

  An army to enforce decisions
• How did the League's structure contribute to its decision-making challenges?

  Unanimous votes made swift action difficult
• What was the League's approach to improving working conditions globally?

  Through the International Labour Organisation (ILO)
• What year was the Anti-Comintern Pact signed?

  1936
• Which countries initially signed the Anti-Comintern Pact?

  Germany and Japan
• Which country joined the Anti-Comintern Pact in 1937?

  Italy
• What was the primary public aim of the Anti-Comintern Pact?

  To counter the influence of the Comintern
• Why did Germany view the Soviet Union as a threat?

  It represented an ideological and strategic threat
• What were Japan's concerns regarding the Soviet Union?

  Wary of Soviet expansion in the Far East