Year 11 revision notes: Why the League of Nations failed

Weaknesses of the League itself

 The League was controlled by 2 main countries (Britain and France). They didn't really want to act on
any countries that were outside their interests (e.g. Manchuria).
 Countries could just leave the League of Nations if they didn’t agree with its policies and judgements
(e.g. Japan when it disagreed with the Lytton Report).
 The League didn't have an armed forces to enforce their decisions. They could ask their member states
to supply or lend their armed forces, but the only ones that could supply one were Britain and France
and they would not do so unless their interests were directly threatened.
 It was seen as a “winner’s club” which only certain countries were allowed in- especially in the 1920s.
Germany in particular had resented this, and in 1926 when they joined, some in Germany represented
it as a betrayal and when Hitler came to power in 1933 took Germany straight out.
 USA’s absence created a serious weakness in the League’s power. When the League tried to issue
economic sanctions it couldn’t stop the USA as a large trading power ignoring those sanctions.
 Countries would not disarm and there were several unsuccessful disarmament conferences throughout
the 1920s.

The Great Depression highlighted all of these reasons and made it more likely
that they League couldn’t cope.

Nationalism/ Extremism
The Great Depression
  Caused
Countries becameslump
an extreme more in
selfish
worldand the causing
trade, unity of tensions
the League washigh
to run broken.
and relationships between
 countries
More extremist/ nationalist
to deteriorate. parties came into power.
  Millions
Increased hatred towards
of workers lost theirother
jobs, nations. Increase intomilitarism.
causing industries fail. This led to people looking for alternatives
 toPeople were reluctant
government togreater
(leading to listen toextremism
the League in as they wanted
countries; to concentrate
e.g. Italy on their own
and Germany).
countries.
 Nations turned to militarism and nationalism to distract the people of their countries (e.g. Japan’s
 invasion
Nationalism was caused
of Manchuria and in part invasion
Italy’s by the Great Depression. It was a way for governments to blame
of Abyssinia).
others for
 Countries the problems
didn't caused
want to get by the
involved withGreat Depression
the League (e.g.
as they Jews intoGermany)
wanted and the
focus on their ownsolution
problems.
was
The intensetrade
League’s national pride coupled
sanctions become with militarism.
ineffective Many
as world extremist
trade parties ran on nationalist
had decreased.
arguments.
 This also happened in Japan where the army blamed the weak national government and
followed aggressive expansionist policies in Manchuria.
Militarism
 The Great Depression led to an increase in militarism. People who wanted quick decisions that would
achieve better results for their individual nations. People looked to extremist political parties (e.g. the


Manchuria
Nazis who were promising a campaign of extending German living space).
Countries felt threatened by others increasing militarism and had to compete by rearming.
 Manchuria led to the failure of the League because Japan took over Manchuria and the League
 Militarism could not be contained by the League’s army as it had none. After the Great Depression,
didn't do enough to stop Japan. The League were seen as weak after their failure to deal with
countries would not provide theirs.
Japan.
 Militarism was a solution as it would build up the economy (production of armaments) and increased
 Countries decided that the League didn’t have to be listened to, as all they did to Japan was
raw materials from conquered territories.
commission Lord Lytton to go out and investigate the issues who condemned the invasion but
 Examples include Japan and Italy and their actions.
was powerless to prevent Japan leaving the League.
 This may have led other powers to want to go against the League.

Abyssinia
 The Hoare-Laval plan discredited the League even though it never happened. It planned to give
Mussolini all the valuable land in Abyssinia, confining the Abyssynians to the barren,