League of Nations [Revision]
The League of Nations was set up by the Treaty of Versailles. Its structure included an Assembly: Met once a year, each country had one seat. A Council made up of Italy, Japan, GB, France
permanent members—who can veto any action and 4 non-permanent members – smaller countries which changed every few years. The administration was done by the Secretariat, a civil
service, met in Geneva. The Court of Justice: Met in The Hague, Netherlands and dealt with international law.
To stop conflict the League used Collective Security. That meant all the countries were meant to work together. It had three sanctions to stop a country breaking international law. Moral
Sanctions—it could tell a country it has broken international law and pressure it to stop. Economic Sanctions—stop trading with a country to hurt its economy. Military Sanctions—a League
of Nations Army could take action—it never did. The League also held Disarmament conferences.
The key countries were France & GB. They were members throughout but often put their own interests first,. For example they did not risk their armed forces to stop Japan in Manchurian
and did not act against Mussolini harshly in Abyssinian because they wanted him as an ally against Hitler.
Italy Left in 1937 in protest at its treatment during the Abyssinian Crisis. Japan: Left in 1933 in protest at its treatment during Manchurian Crisis. Germany had not been allowed to join until
it proved itself peaceful. Joined 1926, Hitler left in 1933. USSR: Communist government not recognised in 1920. It joined 1934, worried at rise of Nazis—thrown out 1939 after invasion of
Finland. The USA: Never joined—Americans had turned isolationist. This meant any sanctions against countries would fail as they could continue to buy oil from the Americans.
Japan was short of raw resources [e.g. coal] and suffering after the Wall Street Crash. The Japanese said the Chinese had blown up a Japanese owned railway at Mukden in Manchuria. The
Japanese invaded. Lord Lyton was sent by the League to find out what went on. He said Japan should leave Manchuria. Instead they left the league. UK did not want to risk its fleet or
France its army and USSR were not in the league. The League looked weak because it took Lyton a year and then he was ignored. Without USA, no sanctions would work as USA was Japans
major trading partner. [E] GB & France would not risk troops to intervene so far from their colonies. Italy saw Japan get away with invading Manchuria and felt they could attack Abyssinia. [
In 1896 Abyssinia beat Italy in a war. To make an Italian Empire & revenge Mussolini invaded following a clash of troops at the Wal Wal Oasis. Italy had planes and gas, Abyssinia had spears
and old guns. UK didn’t want to upset Italy as they may be useful with Hitler so didn’t close the Suez Canal to Italy. Hoare and Laval secretly offered Mussolini 2/3 of Abyssinia in return for
peace. When this became public it proved that France and GB put their interests first. GB wouldn’t put sanctions as it would cause miners in GB to lose work Oil sanctions would not work
because America wasn’t in the League. After the failure of the Hoare-Laval Pact, GB gave up on the League altogether and Chamberlain using Appeasement not the League with Hitler.
While the Manchurian Crisis made the League look weak, people weak they were prepared to give it another go. After Abyssinian Crisis, people gave up on the League.
League of Nations