What extent was the league of nations successful
Section of the The action league members should take
Convent
Article 8 and 9 Members must promote disarmament so that countries will only
have sufficient military strength to ensure national security
Article 10 Any member who is attacked will have the support of all league
of nations members
Articles 11 Any member can ask for help if they feel they will be attacked
Articles 12 to 15 Disputes will be settled by a process: investigation, discussion,
then putting the issue before an international court or going to
arbitration
Article 16 Members agree to take prompt action against someone going to
war. It could lead to economic sanctions
Crisis where the league of nations attempted to intervene or intervened:
• Vilnius 1920
• Upper Silesia 1921
• Aland Islands 1921
• Corfu 1923
• Greece vs Bulgaria 1925
• Japanese invasion of Manchuria 1931
• Italian invasion of Abyssinia 1935
• Japanese invasion of China 1937
Collective security
• Three processes by which the league could try to stop wars:
1. Moral Disapproval: the council would meet to condemn any act of
aggression. The aggressor would cease its military actions knowing that
the world was watching
2. Economic sanctions: if moral disproval failed, then the Counsil could exert
pressure using economic sanctions
3. Military sanctions: if economic sanctions didn’t work then the council
could send military help
• Two problems restricted the collective security approach
1. All decisions taken by the assembly had to be unanimous
2. The league did not have its own army, so sending soldiers would take
time and resources
, The Aland Islands
• Located between Sweden and Finland both countries claim it
• Although most of the population is Swedes the island belongs to Finland
• June 1920 the dispute was referred to the League
• They awarded the Islands to remain with Finland and the League was
worried that Swedish communities in Finland would make similar claims
• The League recommends to Sweden in the report that they should have
more autonomy to preserve their traditions
The Corfu Incident, 1923
• An Italian, General Tellini, and four of his assistants were murdered, they
had been mapping the new border between Albania and Greece for the
Conference of Ambassadors
• In August 1923, Benito Mussolini, the Italian leader, ordered the
occupation of the Greek island Corfu
• Greece appealed this to the league and Italy disputed that it was not an
act of war
• Britain’s representee Robert Cecil argued this and wanted sanctions
placed on Italy and British naval presence off the coast
• Britain’s government disagreed as they did not want to damaged trade
relations
• The Council decided to send a commission to investigate the murder
• 25 September the conference of ambassadors met to discuss the report
• Greece was made to pay 50 billion lire as compensation
• Two days later Italy evacuated
Successes Concerns
Greece was able to appeal to the Italy committed an act of war, but the
council when they felt as though they injustice was not punished
were not being treated correctly by the
Conference of Ambassadors
Italy and Greece did not go to war The League at little involvement in the
crisis it would seem the Conference
was more important
Greco-Bulgarian confrontation 1925
• 19 October on the Greek border with Bulgaria two Greek guards were
killed and the others retreated
Section of the The action league members should take
Convent
Article 8 and 9 Members must promote disarmament so that countries will only
have sufficient military strength to ensure national security
Article 10 Any member who is attacked will have the support of all league
of nations members
Articles 11 Any member can ask for help if they feel they will be attacked
Articles 12 to 15 Disputes will be settled by a process: investigation, discussion,
then putting the issue before an international court or going to
arbitration
Article 16 Members agree to take prompt action against someone going to
war. It could lead to economic sanctions
Crisis where the league of nations attempted to intervene or intervened:
• Vilnius 1920
• Upper Silesia 1921
• Aland Islands 1921
• Corfu 1923
• Greece vs Bulgaria 1925
• Japanese invasion of Manchuria 1931
• Italian invasion of Abyssinia 1935
• Japanese invasion of China 1937
Collective security
• Three processes by which the league could try to stop wars:
1. Moral Disapproval: the council would meet to condemn any act of
aggression. The aggressor would cease its military actions knowing that
the world was watching
2. Economic sanctions: if moral disproval failed, then the Counsil could exert
pressure using economic sanctions
3. Military sanctions: if economic sanctions didn’t work then the council
could send military help
• Two problems restricted the collective security approach
1. All decisions taken by the assembly had to be unanimous
2. The league did not have its own army, so sending soldiers would take
time and resources
, The Aland Islands
• Located between Sweden and Finland both countries claim it
• Although most of the population is Swedes the island belongs to Finland
• June 1920 the dispute was referred to the League
• They awarded the Islands to remain with Finland and the League was
worried that Swedish communities in Finland would make similar claims
• The League recommends to Sweden in the report that they should have
more autonomy to preserve their traditions
The Corfu Incident, 1923
• An Italian, General Tellini, and four of his assistants were murdered, they
had been mapping the new border between Albania and Greece for the
Conference of Ambassadors
• In August 1923, Benito Mussolini, the Italian leader, ordered the
occupation of the Greek island Corfu
• Greece appealed this to the league and Italy disputed that it was not an
act of war
• Britain’s representee Robert Cecil argued this and wanted sanctions
placed on Italy and British naval presence off the coast
• Britain’s government disagreed as they did not want to damaged trade
relations
• The Council decided to send a commission to investigate the murder
• 25 September the conference of ambassadors met to discuss the report
• Greece was made to pay 50 billion lire as compensation
• Two days later Italy evacuated
Successes Concerns
Greece was able to appeal to the Italy committed an act of war, but the
council when they felt as though they injustice was not punished
were not being treated correctly by the
Conference of Ambassadors
Italy and Greece did not go to war The League at little involvement in the
crisis it would seem the Conference
was more important
Greco-Bulgarian confrontation 1925
• 19 October on the Greek border with Bulgaria two Greek guards were
killed and the others retreated
