1. PPQ #16. How did the League of Nations deal with Japan over the Manchurian crisis? (6)
There was now a long and frustrating delay. The League set up the Lytton
Commission in December 1931, two months after Japan invaded.
League officials (Lytton Committee) sailed round the world to assess the
situation in Manchuria for themselves. It was September 1932 – a full year
after the invasion – before they presented their report.
The League condemned Japan’s actions and said Manchuria should be
returned to the Chinese.
The Japanese government agreed but their army refused.
On February 24, 1933 the report from the League’s officials was approved by
42 votes to 1 in the Assembly. Only Japan voted against. (Japan resigned
from the League on 27 March 1933)
The League discussed economic sanctions, but without the USA, Japan’s
main trading partner, they would be meaningless.
Besides, Britain seemed more interested in keeping up good relationships
with Japan than in agreeing to sanctions.
The League also discussed banning arms sales to Japan, but the member
countries could not even agree about that. They were worried that Japan
would retaliate and the war would escalate.
Britain and France were not willing to risk their navies or armies in a war so
far away with Japan. Only the USA and the USSR would have had the
resources to remove the Japanese from Manchuria by force and they were
not even members of the League.
The League failed to stop the invasion.

2. EXAM PRACTICE: 2I + 4E + 4EI + 2C = 6
Why did the Disarmament Conference fail? Explain. (6)
By July 1932 it had produced resolutions to:
prohibit bombing of civilian populations, limit the size of artillery, limit the tonnage of tanks and prohibit chemical warfare.
But there was very little in the resolutions to show how these limits would be
achieved. For example: the bombing of civilians was to be prohibited, but all
attempts to agree to abolish planes capable of bombing were defeated.
Even the proposal to ban the manufacture of chemical weapons was
defeated.
It was not a promising start. The big question, however, was related to the
principle of equality.
All the powers knew that Hitler was secretly rearming Germany already. They
also began to rebuild their own armaments.
The Disarmament Conference struggled and finally ended in 1934.
Disarmament failed for a number of reasons:
Some say it was all doomed from the start. No one was very serious about
disarmament anyway. It did not help that Britain and France were divided
on this issue. Many British people felt that the Treaty of Versailles was
unfair and the British signed a naval agreement with Germany in 1935, in
violation of the Treaty.

3. TOPIC #2: Italy Invades Abyssinia 1935
PPQ #17. How did the League of Nations deal with Italy over the Abyssinian crisis? (6)
2I + 4E + 4EI + 2C = 6
Italy invaded Abyssinia in October 1935 and the League condemned the aggression.
To start with, the British and the French failed to take the situation seriously. They played for time.
They wanted to keep good relations with Mussolini, who seemed to be their strongest ally against Hitler and signed the Stresa Pact in 1935.
At the meeting to discuss this, they did not even raise the question of Abyssinia.
The League never actually did anything to discourage Mussolini.
On 4 September, after eight months’ deliberation, a committee reported to the League that neither side could be held responsible for the Wal-Wal incident. The League put forward a plan that would give Mussolini some of Abyssinia. Mussolini rejected it.
The League was designed for just such disputes and, unlike in the Manchurian crisis, it was ideally placed to act (as it involved a European country and was close to Europe).

4. A committee was immediately set up to agree what sanctions to impose.
PPQ #17. How did the League of Nation deal with Italy over the Abyssinian crisis?
A committee was immediately set up to agree what sanctions to impose.
The League imposed an immediate ban on arms sales to Italy while allowing them to Abyssinia.
It banned all loans to Italy.
It banned all imports from Italy.
It banned the export of rubber, tin and metals to Italy.
However, the League delayed a decision for two months over whether to ban oil exports to Italy. It feared the Americans would not support the sanctions. It also feared that its members’ economic interests would be further damaged (ie: British coal exports to Italy).
Britain and France never closed the Suez Canal, which was the Italians’ main supply route to Abyssinia and closing it could have ended the Abyssinian campaign very quickly. Both Britain and France were afraid that closing the canal could have resulted in war with Italy.
The Hoare-Laval plan was leaked to the French press. It proved quite disastrous for the League.
Sanctions discussions lost all momentum.
The Abyssinian crisis was a disaster for the League of Nations and had serious consequences for world peace.

5. 19. What factors demonstrate that the League was a failure in the 1930s? (6)
2I + 4E + 4EI + 2C = 6

7. PPQ #19. What factors demonstrate that the League was a failure in the 1930s? (6)
A number of factors:
Use page 254 (Walsh)
The USA and other important countries were absent
The League had no troops
League Decisions were too slow
The Treaties it had to uphold were seen as unfair
Economic Sanctions did not work
Leading members acted out of Self Interests.
OTHER EXAMPLES:
Disarmament
Manchuria
Abyssinia
Agreements and alliances made outside the League:
British and German naval agreement of 1935
British, French and Italians signed the Stresa Pact in 1935
Franco-Soviet Pact of May 1935,
Dec 1935 the Hoare-Laval plan was leaked to the French press. It proved
quite disastrous for the League.
Rhineland in March 1936
Appeasement

8. PPQ #20. How far can the failure of the League be blamed on the Depression? Explain your answer. (8)
Argument that YES, the Depression can be blamed: 1. 2. 3.
Argument that NO, there are OTHER factors that can be blamed: 4.

9. Explain your answer. (10) 2I + 4EA + 4EIA + 4EF + 4EIF + 3C = 10
PPQ #20. How far can the failure of the League be blamed on the Depression?
Explain your answer. (10) I + 4EA + 4EIA + 4EF + 4EIF + 3C = 10
The League failed for many reasons
Yes, the Depression contributed to the failure of the League. For example:
The Wall Street Crash started a long depression that quickly caused economic problems throughout the
world.
It damaged the trade and industry of all countries.
It affected relations between countries and led nations to pursue self-interests. Many adopted
aggressive foreign policies.
It also led to important political changes within countries (ie: Germany, Italy and Japan).
Much of the goodwill and the optimism of the late 1920s evaporated.
The League lost momentum and was then unable to deal with other serious issues of the 1930s.
Other reasons the League failed:
Self-interests of leading members – Britain and France were never prepared to abandon their own
interests to support the League. Germany, Italy and Japan disregarded the League when it didn’t suit
their goals
Membership - the USA and other important countries were not members. The League lacked authority
and sanctions were rarely effective. Even though the USSR joined in 1934, Germany and Japan
withdrew in 1933, while Italy withdrew in 1937.
Structure:
Punishments - were too often ineffective, especially sanctions. League members did not willingly use
their most powerful weapon because it hurt their own economies and were easily disregarded by non-
league members like the USA.
Lack of Troops – the League relied on members to commit troops when needed, but troops never
fought on behalf of the League. Britain and France were always unwillingly to commit troops.
Decisions were slow – most events required quick and determined actions, which the League was
unable to muster because decisions had to unanimous.
The Treaties the League was supposed to enforce were seen as unfair.