Was the league of nations doomed from the start?

The Weaknesses of the League Aims 1. To understand the reasons the league of Nations was struggling from the start

Some counties not allowed to join The USA did not join weakness Explanation Some counties not allowed to join USSR (Russia) and Germany in particular. The League was missing two of Europe's most powerful countries. The USA did not join Congress voted against Woodrow Wilson. The League lost the support of the worlds most powerful nation – including its economy and military. Lack of strong leadership Britain and France did not agree on the purpose of the league so did not work together. Lack of an army In theory an army would come form member states but in practice they were reluctant to go to war again. Idealism Equal voting rights were fair but meant that decisions and progress could rarely be made.

Meaning. Purpose Nature Compare with own knowledge. Conclusion How accurate is source A to an Historian studying the weaknesses of the league? The picture shows that the league of nations will collapse without the USA because this is the keystone. The Cartoonist is trying to say the league is doomed without the USA. It may be exaggerated because it is a British cartoon designed to criticise but it was true that the League would struggle without American support as it was the most powerful country in the world. The league had many other weaknesses as well, such as a lack of an army and the absence of Germany and the USSR. Overall I think it is an accurate view of the weaknesses of the league.

The League’s strengths and weaknesses

The collapse of international co-operation Aims Discover how various factors caused there to be an end to international co-operation. Decide which of these factors was the most important.

Successes of the League During the 1920s, the League of Nations appeared to make some progress towards preventing future wars. In the Washington Naval Agreement of 1922, Britain, France, the USA and Japan agreed to limit the size of their navies. In 1925, Germany signed the Treaty of Locarno in which it agreed to accept its western boundaries, as set by the Treaty of Versailles, and also, the demilitarization of the Rhineland. In return, Germany was allowed to join the League of Nations and inspections of the German army ceased.

Successes of the League The League also encouraged the signing of the Kellogg-Briand Pact in 1928. In this agreement, 15 major nations (including Germany) promised not to use “war as an instrument of national policy,” and to pursue their goals through peaceful means. By 1933, 60 nations had made this promise. President Coolidge signing the pact for the USA. Do you think this promise would prevent a country going to war?

Successes of the League It looked promising for the League, but did these pacts really mean anything? Nations happily signed up to the principles of peace and cooperation, but there was nothing to stop them simply breaking their promises when they were inconvenient. After the First World War, most nations wanted to reduce expenditure on defence anyway. The League would face stiffer tests in the areas of international disputes and border conflicts.

The 1920s This was a time of relative success for the league Membership increased and Germany was included The Locarno Treaties and the Kellogg-Briand pact seemed to indicate peaceful time ahead… ….This optimism all began to fade in the 1930s.

Task Read carefully through the information on page 134 and 135. Complete the following questions. What were the main terms of the Locarno Treaties and the Kellogg-Briand Pact? Make brief notes on the reasons for Rivalry and Aggression listed on page 134. Place them in order of importance from highest to lowest. Think carefully about the most important reason, this could be an exam question.

Disarmament

The depression and the League In 1929, the collapse of the American stock market caused an economic depression (often called the Great Depression). The depression was not just felt in America – it affected the whole world. The USA demanded repayment of the money it had loaned to Germany and other countries. This caused great economic hardship and damaged world trade. The slump in world trade was worsened by the USA putting tariffs (taxes) on imported goods.

The depression and the League The depression had a huge social and economic impact on the major world powers. The volume of international trade fell by 70% as countries brought in import tariffs – by taxing imports, countries sought to prevent cheaper foreign goods undercutting their domestic industries. The drop in trade led to massive unemployment and terrible hardship for ordinary people all over the world.

The depression and the League There was less international cooperation. The USA and other nations looked to take care of themselves instead of worrying about world peace and humanitarian issues. How the depression affected the League Desperate people suffering terrible economic hardship increasingly turned to leaders offering radical solutions. This led to the rise of militaristic fascist governments. Britain and France no longer wished to sort out international disputes that would cost them money and could further damage their trade. Many Americans felt that the European powers had broken their promises over issues such as war loans and the repayment of loans to Germany. This, plus a popular movement against forming ‘tangling alliances’ with Europe, and the belief that American business had driven America into the First World War, led to the Neutrality Acts before the Second World War. American isolationism increased.

The depression and the League Worksheet One accompanies this slide.

How accurate is this source to an historian studying the position of the league of nations in the 1930s? Snake: represents a vicious predator, often used to symbolise evil. Rabbits are vulnerable, natural defence is to run but sometimes paralysed by fear. At the time the league was unable to stop aggression using ‘Moral Persuasion’ (the league had no army) – as effective as a rabbit against a snake. Provenance – British and from a satirical (makes a point using humour) magazine but nevertheless founded on real events. ‘Moral Persuasion'– an English cartoon of 1936 (Punch Magazine)