League of Nations

League of Nations

1. The structure and organization of the LoN.

   • • Structure of LoN

2. The powers of the LoN

   • The only 2 major powers of LoN that had to make the League work were Britain and France. They had already suffered a lot from the loss at the ww1. Stabilizing their own country took priorities before the League priorities leading to WW2
   • Japan left the league after League criticism for invading Manchuria in 1933
   • Italy was a part of League but left it after invading Abyssinia in 1937

3. Successes and failures of the LoN

   • Successes
     • Refugee Organisation
     • Health Organisation
     • Economic and Financial Organisation
     • International Labour Organisation
     • Slavery Commissions
     • Disarmament Commissions
   • failures
     • Pacts and agreements made outside the League in secret.

4. Manchurian Crisis – Causes, events and consequences

   • Causes
     • Japan was very badly from the depression. japan was sufficient with food and depends upon its imports to feed its rapidly rising population. Manchuria would give Japan everything they needed at that time. Manchuria was wealthy, rich in mineral wealth, a good source of food and raw materials and land for the rising Japanese population.
   • Events
     • Japan invaded Manchuria at 1931 and had control over Manchuria until 1933
     • A Special Assembly of the League was held in February 1933 (17 months after the Japanese invasion)
     • In 1933, Japan invaded Jehol, the Chinese province next to Manchuria.
   • Consequences
     • The Abyssinian Crisis
     • Made people lose faith in the LoN
     • Encoraged Mussolini and Hitler

5. Abyssinian Crisis. – Causes, events and consequences.

   • Causes
     • Italy was unhappy with the peace settlement as it did not receive as much land as the allies promised.
     • Italy wanted to increase his popularity by forming a new Roman Empire
     • Mussolini wanted some of the natural resources Abyssinia had to offer. Abyssinia would also provide a market for Italy to trade with.
   • Events
     • In December 1934 a clash happened between Italian and Abyssinian soldiers at Wal-Wal on the border between Abyssinia and Italian Somaliland.
     • Italy invaded Abyssinia in October 1935
     • Italy walked out of the League in May 1936 and sanctions ended in July.
     • In 1936 Mussolini signed the Rome-Berlin Axis with Hitler, which ended the hopes of France and Britian to keep him as an ally against Hitler.
   • Consequences
     • This crisis marked the end of the League as a means to keep the peace.
     • Hitler had taken advantage of the crisis when he had reversed the Treaty of Versailles and marched troops into the Rhineland in March 1936.
     • Japan joined Germany and Italy in 1937 also, renaming it the Anti-Comintern Pact. Italy formally left the League in 1937. Europe was once again clearly dividing into two sides.