Aim

To encourage nations to disarm

Successes
Washington Conference: USA, Britain, France and Japan agreed to limit the size of their navies.

Failures
World Disarmament Conference: 59 countries were present but the conference collapsed with no agreement. Germany wanted other countries to disarm but France was too afraid. When Germany withdrew everyone realised Hitler was re-arming Germany. Didnt really do much for this aim. The Wall Street Crash further worsened this crisis, due to the fact that the USA had lent so much money to other countries. Vilna: Mainly polish but appointed capital of Lithuania. Poland appealed to league and attacked Vilna. French didnt want to upset Poland who could be a future ally and Britain would not act alone. The league did nothing. Corfu: Italian general shot dead while investigating border dispute between Greece and Albania (Italian Ally). Mussolini demanded compensation then invaded Corfu (in Greece). Greece appealed to the league but Mussolini threatened to leave if they intervened. League condemned Italy and Mussolini officially agreed but persuaded the conference of ambassadors to overturn the ruling. In the end Greece paid compensation to Italy! Despite the success of the Kellogg-Briand pact it was largely ignored and it was difficult to enforce. Tried to have max. 48hr week but only minority of members agreed. Not everyone enforced the rulings of the ILO even though all the members agreed. France invaded the Ruhr in 1923 to force the Germans to pay Reparations. Due to Frances unnecessary force, Germany issued a general strike so there were no goods to take.

To encourage nations to cooperate especially in business and trade

The Dawes Plan: The USA, lent money to Germany to try and avert a terrible economic crisis. Aaland Islands: Contains Swedish but closer to Finland. Both wanted control appealed to league. Compromise belong to Finland but protections on Swedish language and culture. Greece and Bulgaria: Greek troops invaded Bulgaria when some soldiers were killed on the border. Bulgaria appealed for help. League condemned Greece, ordering it to pull out and pay compensation. Greece complained about biased rules but complied so it didnt annoy major countries. Kellogg-Briand pact: Signed in total by 62 countries (including USA) to say they wont use war to settle disputes

To discourage aggression from any nation (to keep international peace)

To improve living and working conditions of people across the world.

I.L.O.: Banned poisonous white lead from paint and limited working hours for small children. Most successful of the leagues agencies. League returned 400 000 refugees to their home Locarno Treaties: Germany accepted its Western borders as set out in the treaty of Versailles.

Upholding the Treaty of Versailles

Strengths and Weaknesses of the League of Nations Weakness The US didnt joined even though it was the most powerful country. Example Abyssinian Crisis: League imposed economic sanctions but USA was a major supplier and they werent part of the league of nations so the sanctions were ineffective. Manchurian Crisis: USSR would have had a powerful enough army to defeat Japan, unlike Britain or France who suffered greatly from the first world war.

Other powerful countries like Germany and the USSR were not members at first. The league depended on Britain and France but neither was as powerful as they used to be.

League depended on Vilna: French didnt want to upset countries putting their own Poland who might be a useful ally in interests second to what the future so the league did nothing. was best for everyone. Decisions in the assembly and the council had to be unanimous so decisions were slow. Had week foundations based on the Treaty of Versailles. Manchurian Crisis: Japan was a major member of the league so it took a whole year to come to a conclusion, in the end Japan walked out of the league. Was supposed to uphold the treaty of Versailles but once the initially resentment had passed people saw that it was too harsh on Germany in particular. This is shown in the Young Plan where even France allowed Germanys reparations to be reduced.

Strengths Popular and well supported especially collective security. Specialist in each area, focused.

Example After around 10 million dead in WW1, 42 countries joined the league. 60 members by the 1930s. They had commissions for slavery, Mandates, Refugees and Health plus more.