1. Why did the League of Nations fail in the 1930’s?

2. Japan Invades Manchuria
The Dispute:
Japan controlled South Manchurian _________________

3. Japan Invades Manchuria
China asked the __________________ to help
Japan claimed they were not an aggressor, but they were simply ______________ a local ______________ over the railways
Japan also claimed China was in _______________ and they to invade in _____________-______________ in order to keep the peace

4. Japan Invades Manchuria
What the League Did:
Their response was _________________
The League sent a group of officials led by Lord Lytton to study the problem (this took a __________________). 
Found that Japan had clearly acted unlawfully.
In February 1933 it ordered Japan to _____________ Manchuria.

5. Japan Invades Manchuria
The outcome:
Japan ________________ to leave Manchuria.  
Instead announce plans to further invade China, again citing self-defense
League of Nations report was approved by a vote of 42 to 1 (Japan was the only country voting against it).
Instead, Japan ____________ the League.
The next week they invaded Jehol

6. Results of Manchuria The Outcome The League = _______________
could impose economic sanctions (restrict trade), but without US cooperation, they would be ____________________
Britain seemed more interested in keeping good __________________w/ Japan
Only the USA and USSR would have the _______________________ to remove the Japanese by force, but neither were in the League

7. Results of Manchuria The Outcome
Many countries made excuses for the way the Manchurian situation was handled:
Japan was really far away. They weren’t that much of a threat.
Japan was a special case.
Japan had a point about the anarchy in China.
Hitler and Mussolini were watching…

8. Why did disarmament fail?
Failed in 1920s
Increased __________________ in ‘30s for League to do something
German resentment
Other countries spending a lot on making weapons
Manchurian Crisis

9. Disarmament Conference
Began Feb ‘32
By July, had resolved:
No bombing of civilian populations
Limit size or artillery
Limit the capacity of tanks
No chemical warfare
AGAIN! Little to show how this would be achieved
Did not prohibit planes capable of bombing or the manufacture of chemical weapons

10. The Issue of Germany Been in League for 6 yrs
Growing desire within the League to treat Germany as ___________________
BIG QUESTION? Everyone disarm to level required or Germany or allow Germany to ream to level of everyone else?

11. Why did the Conference fail?
It was doomed from the ________________, no one had serious ___________ to disarm
Britain and France were divided on the issue
By ‘33 many Brits thought TofV was ___________
By ‘35 Britain had signed agreement w/ Germany to allow building up ______________ as long as it stayed within 35% of the size of the British navy
Britain did not consult the Allies or the League
Each country was protecting ______________ and ________________ the League

12. Fatal Blow to the League

13. The Dispute:
Dec ’34: Provoked by Italians at Ethiopian soldiers at Wal-Wal oasis (Mussolini claimed it was Italian territory)
Demanded ______________ from Abyssinia and prepared his army for _______________
Abyssinian emperor, Haile Selassie, appealed to the League of Nations

14. So what did they do? Phase 1: League Plays for Time January – October 1935
Britain and France did not take issue seriously - desperate to stop Italy ___________________ forces with Germany
Mussolini “negotiated” with League, all the while sending army to Africa & stirring up “war fever” at home
Signed an agreement in early 1935 w/ Mussolini (Stresa Pact)
Very vague
Didn’t even discuss Abyssinia
Formalized a protest against German rearming and committing them to stand united
Some call this the Stresa “Front”: an anti-German grouping of Italy, Britain, and France
Signed an agreement in early 1935 w/ Mussolini (Stresa Pact) formalizing a protest against Germany’s rearming and committing them to stand united against Germany

15. But, had to respond to __________________ outcry against Italy
British people wanted_______________ action to defend Abyssinia
Facing election, British politicians “got tough”
There was a lot of talk in the League about “________________ ________________” but nothing was actually done to stop Mussolini
September ‘35, a committee reported that neither side was guilty for the incident!
Put forward a plan to give Mussolini some of __________________
Mussolini rejected it
This was a clear cut case and the League was in an ideal place to act

16. So what happened next. Phase 2: Sanctions or not
So what happened next? Phase 2: Sanctions or not? October ’35 – May ‘36:
Mussolini ________________ w/ tanks, planes, and gas
Clearly a large, powerful state attacking a smaller one
According to the League of Nations Covenant, sanctions must be placed against the aggressor (Mussolini)
A committee was organized
B + F are stuck in dilemma. Didn’t want to annoy Mussolini, but they wanted to support League and idea of collective security

17. Phase 2: Sanctions or not? October ’35 – May ‘36:
The League needed to act quickly to prevent Mussolini from gaining more ground
Condemned action and imposed a ______________ ban
arms sales, loans, imports from, and exports (rubber, tin, metal)
But, ban did not include trade in oil or petrol
This decision about oil exports delayed the League 2 months
They feared US wouldn’t support decision
They feared the economic impact on member nations
30,000 British coal miners would lose their jobs as a result of the ban on oil exports
This was crucial. ________________ sanctions would not work.

18. Phase 2: Sanctions or not? October ’35 – May ‘36:
More importantly, the _____________ ____________, owned by Britain and France, was not closed to Mussolini’s supply ships
The canal was the main supply route for Italy
Closing it would be ___________________to Italy
Britain and France were afraid to close it, thinking it would lead to a full-on war with Italy

19. Mussolini “obtains” Abyssinia
The French worried about Hitler’s movement (desperate to gain _____________________t of Italy)
May ‘36: Italy annexed the entire country
Had hoped their handling of Abyssinia would strengthen position against Hitler, but it was a bad choice