Setting up the League of Nations

Organization The Treaty of Versailles and the other peace treaties included the creation of the League of Nations. The rules were known as the Covenant. The headquarters were in Geneva, Switzerland. The officials who worked for the League were known as the Secretariat.

Duties The League set up committees and commissions to deal with certain issues: – Health Organization (later became WHO) dealt with health in poorer countries. – International Labour Organization (ILO) improved working conditions for working people. – Mandates commission which dealt with the former German and Turkish colonies (now called Mandates).

All countries in the League sent members to the League Assembly. The Assembly met once a year but had no real power. The League Council had all of the power. – The League Council was made up of Britain, France, Italy, and Japan (rich countries). All League Council decisions had to be unanimous: all members had to agree. – Why would this be a bad thing?

A European Club? Many other countries were not happy that only European countries (except Japan) were in the powerful League Council. Argentina’s representatives argued that the league should be democratic. What does democratic mean? The Covenant viewed colonial countries as inferior and said that more ‘civilized’ states should have the job of looking after those “people not yet able to stand by themselves under the strenuous conditions of the modern world.”

The USA says no The League of Nations had been the idea of Woodrow Wilson, the president of the USA. However, the US Congress (the parliament) had to agree to join the league. Most in the Congress were Republicans and so they did not like Woodrow Wilson – a Democrat. Prior to 1917, the USA had been “Isolationists” and many people wanted to stay that way. So the USA could not join the League of Nations. Was this good or bad? Look at source B page 31

Class Work Activity 3 page 31.

Members of the League Because Germany, Austria and Hungary had lost WWI, they were not allowed to join the League. Also, the Soviet Union was now communist and so they were not allowed to join. So the USA, the Soviet Union, and Germany were not in the League (was this really of the world?)

France vs. Britain The French and British dominated the League of Nations. The French wanted it to be a military alliance to prevent attacks from Germany. The British did not agree and the British were busy dealing with their world empire (why worry about Germany when we have Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, South Africa, Canada, and India to protect?) Read Sources C and D page 32.

The Ruhr By 1923, the French were not happy with the League of Nations not making Germany follow the terms of the Treaty of Versailles. Germany was to start paying 6 Billion pounds over 42 years but they made a small payment in 1922 and then stopped (remember economic problems in Germany). The French then invaded an area called the Ruhr which was rich in industry. The people in the Ruhr hated the French and eventually France left defeated.

Collective Security Collective Security meant that if one country was attacked, all of the other members of the League of Nations would help fight. Collective Security had four choices: 1.World Public Opinion 2.The use of Trade Sanctions 3.Reducing the weapons of all nations 4.The Use of force (fighting/war) Look at the bottom of page 33.

Class Work Give a written answer for the discussion question on page 33. AND 1b

World Public Opinion Public opinion refers to how normal people feel about issues (like going to war). Wilson believed that public opinion would stop countries from going to war. Wilson’s ideas are now seen as naïve: not understanding the world. Look at the list for why on page 34

Disarmament This is the limiting of weapons that all countries have. Wilson saw the Arms Race as one of the reasons for WWI. The Covenant said that all members should disarm. However, the Covenant was vague in its wording: it said countries should keep only a minimum level of arms but it did not say what that minimum was.

Sanctions and Force Article 11 of the Covenant said that the League would take action to stop war. Article 16 said that an attack on one member of the League would be seen as an attack on all League members.