Modern World History C. Corning – Feb. 2010

 The League of Nations was created in 1919 by the peace treaties that ended WWI.  Two goals: (1) keep peace among nations and (2) make the world a better place for ALL people. (Including colonies?)  Member nations had to sign a promise that they would not go to war with other member nations AND if a member attacked another member, the other nations would defend the country under attack (Collective Security)

 There were only three peace-keeping actions the League of Nations could take against a member nation:  Legal means – Court of International Justice  Economic sanctions - member nations would not trade with the attacker, thus threatening economic ruin for the attacker  Military sanctions – forming a League of Nations army (from the member nations) to fight the attacker ** In first ten years, League dealt with 9 disputes

 Not every nation was a member.  USA – policy of isolationism  USSR – “capitalist” club  Some members lacked “enthusiasm” for the League.  Germany – excluded until 1926, club of “victors”  The League’s ability to keep the peace had never been fully tested by 1929 (guess who is going to test them!)  No proof that League could settle a dispute between two major powers – OR that sanctions could stop a war.

 Photos on other Power Point (see our blog)  Oct 1929 Black Monday – share prices on Wall Street fell – basically worthless  Depression began in the US and then spread to most other countries  How did Depression affect world peace?  (1) gov’ts tried to protect their citizens with new economic policies (protectionism)

 How did Depression affect world peace?  (1) gov’ts tried to protect their citizens with new economic policies (protectionism) These policies of protectionism and self-sufficiency harmed international relations.  (2) Depression caused social unrest among the people of many countries Germany 6 out of 64 million by 1934, Japan experienced idle factories/peasants starving  (3) Massive unemployment – people blamed their gov’ts – this led to the collapse of democratic governments in Germany and Japan New gov’ts acted agressively towards other countries in order to improve the situations in their countries

 The Great Depression added to another problem that was threatening world peace in 1929  Division of world: empire haves and have nots  Britain and France owned the largest empires in 1929 – why?  How did this effect world peace?  (1) Other countries envied these empires and wanted to expand  (2) Britain and France avoided the worst impacts of the Depression – other countries wanted to do the same  (3) Local peoples wanted the same right of self- determination that European nations received  (4) Britain and France had to keep large, expensive armies and did NOT want to disarm – why?

 Definition:  Facism vs. Totalitarianism