Did the weaknesses in the League’s organization make failure inevitable?
Criticism Evidence for Evidence against
The league’s organization was When a crisis occurred, the The league’s organization was
too slow to act. League was supposed to act actually quick to react at times.
quickly. However, the League In 1921 Germany and Poland
met too infrequently and took were fighting over the land of
too long to make decisions. Its Upper Silesia. The Treaty of
democratic approach meant Versailles had given the people
that it took a long time to reach of Upper Silesia the right to
a decision and often a decision have a referendum on whether
would not be reached until it they wanted to be part of
was pointless. Also, some Weimar Germany or part of
decisions made by the League Poland. In this referendum,
had to be unanimous and this 700,000 voted for Germany and
took an especially long time as 500,000 for Poland. This close
members often disagreed with result resulted in rioting
each other. between those who expected
Silesia to be made part of
As the league had no armed Weimar Germany and those
forces of its own it relied upon who wanted to be part of
its members. France and Britain, Poland. Fortunately, the League
however, were reluctant to was asked to settle this dispute.
supply troops. Without an army After a six-week inquiry, the
the league could not enforce League decided to split Upper
sanctions and could not make Silesia between Germany and
sure that members followed its Poland. The League’s decision
order. This shows that decisions was accepted by both countries
made by the League were too and by the people in Upper
slow. Silesia.
In 1925, the League helped to
resolve a dispute between
Greece and Bulgaria. Both these
nations have a common border.
In 1925, sentries patrolling this
border fired on one another and
a Greek soldier was killed. The
Greek army invaded Bulgaria as
a result. The Bulgarians asked
the League for help and the
League ordered both armies to
stop fighting and that the
Greeks should pull out of
Bulgaria. The League then sent
experts to the area and decided
Criticism Evidence for Evidence against
The league’s organization was When a crisis occurred, the The league’s organization was
too slow to act. League was supposed to act actually quick to react at times.
quickly. However, the League In 1921 Germany and Poland
met too infrequently and took were fighting over the land of
too long to make decisions. Its Upper Silesia. The Treaty of
democratic approach meant Versailles had given the people
that it took a long time to reach of Upper Silesia the right to
a decision and often a decision have a referendum on whether
would not be reached until it they wanted to be part of
was pointless. Also, some Weimar Germany or part of
decisions made by the League Poland. In this referendum,
had to be unanimous and this 700,000 voted for Germany and
took an especially long time as 500,000 for Poland. This close
members often disagreed with result resulted in rioting
each other. between those who expected
Silesia to be made part of
As the league had no armed Weimar Germany and those
forces of its own it relied upon who wanted to be part of
its members. France and Britain, Poland. Fortunately, the League
however, were reluctant to was asked to settle this dispute.
supply troops. Without an army After a six-week inquiry, the
the league could not enforce League decided to split Upper
sanctions and could not make Silesia between Germany and
sure that members followed its Poland. The League’s decision
order. This shows that decisions was accepted by both countries
made by the League were too and by the people in Upper
slow. Silesia.
In 1925, the League helped to
resolve a dispute between
Greece and Bulgaria. Both these
nations have a common border.
In 1925, sentries patrolling this
border fired on one another and
a Greek soldier was killed. The
Greek army invaded Bulgaria as
a result. The Bulgarians asked
the League for help and the
League ordered both armies to
stop fighting and that the
Greeks should pull out of
Bulgaria. The League then sent
experts to the area and decided
