1. To what extent was the League of Nations a success?
Focus Points
• How successful was the League in the 1920s?
• How far did weaknesses in the League’s organisation make failure inevitable?
• How far did the Depression make the work of the League more difficult?
• How successful was the League in the 1930s?

2. To what extent was the League of Nations a success?
Specified Content
•The League of Nations:
- strengths and weaknesses in its structure and organisation
- successes and failures in peacekeeping during the 1920s
- the impact of the World Depression on the work of the League after 1929
- the failures of the League in the 1930s, including Manchuria and Abyssinia.

3. The League of Nations: Structure

4. The League of Nations: Structure
Copy this diagram in your books and
give as much detail about the strengths
and weaknesses of the structure.
The League of Nations: Structure

5. The League of Nations: Structure
Officials who worked permanently for the League in Geneva were known as the Secretariat.

6. The League of Nations: Structure
Officials who worked permanently for the League in Geneva were known as the Secretariat.
Committees and commissions: deal with worldwide problems. E.g. International Labour Organisation, Health Organisation.

7. The League of Nations: Structure
Officials who worked permanently for the League in Geneva were known as the Secretariat.
Committees and commissions: deal with worldwide problems. E.g. International Labour Organisation, Health Organisation.
The smaller states could have their say in the assembly and through being non- permanent members on the council. They met once a year.

8. The League of Nations: Structure
Officials who worked permanently for the League in Geneva were known as the Secretariat.
Committees and commissions: deal with worldwide problems. E.g. International Labour Organisation, Health Organisation.
The smaller states could have their say in the assembly and through being non- permanent members on the council. They met once a year.
Real power lay with the League Council which was dominated by rich and powerful countries: Japan, France, Italy and Britain.

9. The League of Nations: Structure
Veto: council decisions had to be unanimous.
Officials who worked permanently for the League in Geneva were known as the Secretariat.
Committees and commissions: deal with worldwide problems. E.g. International Labour Organisation, Health Organisation.
The smaller states could have their say in the assembly and through being non- permanent members on the council. They met once a year.
Real power lay with the League Council which was dominated by rich and powerful countries: Japan, France, Italy and Britain.

10. The League of Nations: Structure
Veto: council decisions had to be unanimous.
Officials who worked permanently for the League in Geneva were known as the Secretariat.
Committees and commissions: deal with worldwide problems. E.g. International Labour Organisation, Health Organisation.
The smaller states could have their say in the assembly and through being non- permanent members on the council. They met once a year.
Real power lay with the League Council which was dominated by rich and powerful countries: Japan, France, Italy and Britain.
What progress can be made from meeting once a year?

11. The League of Nations: Structure
Veto: council decisions had to be unanimous.
Who were left out?
Officials who worked permanently for the League in Geneva were known as the Secretariat.
Committees and commissions: deal with worldwide problems. E.g. International Labour Organisation, Health Organisation.
The smaller states could have their say in the assembly and through being non- permanent members on the council. They met once a year.
Real power lay with the League Council which was dominated by rich and powerful countries: Japan, France, Italy and Britain.
What progress can be made from meeting once a year?

12. The League of Nations: Structure
Veto: council decisions had to be unanimous.
Who were left out?
Officials who worked permanently for the League in Geneva were known as the Secretariat.
Committees and commissions: deal with worldwide problems. E.g. International Labour Organisation, Health Organisation.
The smaller states could have their say in the assembly and through being non- permanent members on the council. They met once a year.
Real power lay with the League Council which was dominated by rich and powerful countries: Japan, France, Italy and Britain.
What progress can be made from meeting once a year?
European Club?

13. Collective Security Sanctions & Force
World voice?
These symbols represent problems of the
League of Nations. Discuss with your
partner what you think these problems are.
Collective Security
Sanctions & Force

14. Exam Relevance: b) Why was the structure of the League a weakness
Exam Relevance: b) Why was the structure of the League a weakness? [7] (June 2008)
You should be able to describe the weaknesses of the League based on its structure.
Be specific in your references to the structure of the League in your response.
Be sure to have a topic sentences to start and a final sentence that clearly links back to the question.

15. How successful was the League of Nations in the 1920s and 1930s?

16. 1920s Polish-Soviet War 1920-21 VILNA, 1920 1920 Ruhr 1923 Corfu, 1923
Greek-Bulgarian War, 1925

17. 1920s Write a summary for each event and
decide whether it was a success or a failure.
1920s
Polish-Soviet War
VILNA, 1920
1920
Ruhr 1923
Corfu, 1923
Greek-Bulgarian War, 1925

18. 1920s Polish-Soviet War 1920-21 VILNA, 1920 1920 Ruhr 1923 Corfu, 1923
Greek-Bulgarian War, 1925

19. 1920s Polish-Soviet War 1920-21 VILNA, 1920 1920 Ruhr 1923 Corfu, 1923
Greek-Bulgarian War, 1925

20. 1920s Polish-Soviet War 1920-21 VILNA, 1920 1920 Ruhr 1923 Corfu, 1923
Greek-Bulgarian War, 1925

21. 1920s Polish-Soviet War 1920-21 VILNA, 1920 1920 Ruhr 1923 Corfu, 1923
Greek-Bulgarian War, 1925

22. 1920s Polish-Soviet War 1920-21 VILNA, 1920 1920 Ruhr 1923 Corfu, 1923
Greek-Bulgarian War, 1925

23. 1920s Polish-Soviet War 1920-21 VILNA, 1920 1920 Ruhr 1923 Corfu, 1923
Greek-Bulgarian War, 1925

24. Humanitarian Successes
The League of Nations also did a lot of useful humanitarian work in the 1920s.
Commissions dealt with many issues, including:
droughts in Africa
leprosy
child slave labour
drugs smuggling
refugees.
The League of Nations was the first to suggest that the world community should take collective action to tackle this sort of problem.

25. Copy and complete the chart below.
1920s
Copy and complete the chart below.
International Labour Organisation
Disarmament Commission (1921)
Refugee Committee
Drugs Committee

26. 1920s International Labour Organisation Disarmament Commission (1921)
Produced numerous conventions on wage rates, health and safety, employment of women and children etc. Failed to persuade countries to adopt a 48-hr week.
Disarmament Commission (1921)
Refugee Committee
Drugs Committee

27. 1920s International Labour Organisation Disarmament Commission (1921)
Produced numerous conventions on wage rates, health and safety, employment of women and children etc. Failed to persuade countries to adopt a 48-hr week.
Disarmament Commission (1921)
Naval powers agreed to reduce number of warships, 1921.
It failed to get an agreement on disarmament because Britain objected.
Refugee Committee
Drugs Committee

28. 1920s International Labour Organisation Disarmament Commission (1921)
Produced numerous conventions on wage rates, health and safety, employment of women and children etc. Failed to persuade countries to adopt a 48-hr week.
Disarmament Commission (1921)
Naval powers agreed to reduce number of warships, 1921.
It failed to get an agreement on disarmament because Britain objected.
Refugee Committee
1922: helped 425,000 prisoners to return home.
:Found homes for 600,000 Greeks fleeing Turkey.
Drugs Committee

29. 1920s International Labour Organisation Disarmament Commission (1921)
Produced numerous conventions on wage rates, health and safety, employment of women and children etc. Failed to persuade countries to adopt a 48-hr week.
Disarmament Commission (1921)
Naval powers agreed to reduce number of warships, 1921.
It failed to get an agreement on disarmament because Britain objected.
Refugee Committee
1922: helped 425,000 prisoners to return home.
:Found homes for 600,000 Greeks fleeing Turkey.
Drugs Committee
Persuaded states to tighten up customs and postal controls, and educate people about dangers of drugs.
Some success with improving controls but could not defeat determined drugs producers.

30. The Great Depression

31. The Great Depression Think about the ways in which the
League of Nations planned to
maintain international peace.

32. The Great Depression Think about the ways in which the
League of Nations planned to
maintain international peace.
How might the Depression make the
following things difficult?
Use of public opinion
Use of force
Use of trade sanctions
Disarmament

33. Use of public opinion

34. Use of public opinion With so many people unemployed
and struggling to even feed
themselves…would they be so worried
about what’s happening in the rest of the
world?

35. Use of public opinion Would they want their country to
With so many people unemployed
and struggling to even feed
themselves…would they be so worried
about what’s happening in the rest of the
world?
Would they want their country to
interfere with others when they
have so many problems at home?

36. Use of public opinion What type of political parties do
With so many people unemployed
and struggling to even feed
themselves…would they be so worried
about what’s happening in the rest of the
world?
What type of political parties do
desperate people vote for?
Would they want their country to
interfere with others when they
have so many problems at home?

37. Use of force

38. Did the League of Nations have
Use of force
Did the League of Nations have
it’s own armed forces?

39. Use of force Did the League of Nations have it’s own armed forces?
During a depression would countries
want to spend money on providing
armed forces?

40. Use of trade sanctions
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.

41. Use of trade sanctions With a large drop in trade, will
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.
With a large drop in trade, will
countries be willing to stop trade
with an aggressive country?

42. Disarmament

43. The Depression led to a rise in extreme
Disarmament
The Depression led to a rise in extreme
nationalist leaders:
This gave a rise in
militarism.

44. Disarmament The Depression led to a rise in extreme
nationalist leaders:
This gave a rise in
militarism.
Will other countries be willing to disarm
when countries such as Japan, Italy
and Germany are increasing their
army?

45. How the depression affected the League
An Overview
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.

46. An Overview Do you think the League of Nations
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
Do you think the League of Nations
would be able to deal with
problems effectively in the 1930s?
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.

47. 1930s
The Manchurian Crisis,
The Crisis of Abyssinia, 1935

48. 1930s Write a summary for each event and
decide whether it was a success or a failure.
1930s
The Manchurian Crisis,
The Crisis of Abyssinia, 1935

49. 1930s
The Manchurian Crisis,
The Crisis of Abyssinia, 1935

50. 1930s
The Manchurian Crisis,
The Crisis of Abyssinia, 1935

51. 1930s
The Manchurian Crisis,
The Crisis of Abyssinia, 1935

52. What are the consequences of
The Manchurian Crisis,
What are the consequences of
such failures?
The Crisis of Abyssinia, 1935

53. What were the successes of the League of Nations in the 1920s?
Exam Relevance: c) How successful was the League of Nations in dealing with disputes in the 1920s and 1930s? Explain your answer. (June 2008)
What were the successes of the League of Nations in the 1920s?
How far was the Great Depression responsible for the failure of the League of Nations in the 1930s?

54. Exam Relevance: Nov 2006
(a) Describe the successes of the League of Nations in peacekeeping in the 1920s. [5]
(b) Explain how the Japanese invasion of Manchuria showed the weaknesses of the League. [7]
(c) Which was the more important cause of the failure of the League of Nations – the World Depression of the 1930s or the invasion of Abyssinia? Explain your answer. [8]

55. Exam Relevance: Nov 2008
(a) Describe the humanitarian work of the League of Nations in the 1920s. [5]
(b) Why was the League able to achieve some successes in the 1920s in dealing with international disputes? [7]
(c) How far can the World Depression be blamed for the failure of the League? Explain your answer.

56. Exam Relevance: Nov 2005
(a) Describe the successes of the League of Nations in the 1920s. [5]
(b) Why did the League fail to deal with Japanese aggression against Manchuria? [7]
(c) ‘It was the Abyssinian crisis that destroyed the League of Nations as an effective peacekeeping body.’ How far do you agree with this statement? Explain your answer. [8]

57. Exam Relevance: Jun 2008
Describe the work of the Agencies of the League of Nations. [5]
Why was the structure of the League a weakness? [7]
How successful was the League of Nations in dealing with disputes in the 1920s and 1930s? Explain your answer. [8]