Transcript Why did the League of Nations fail in the 1930`s?

A look at the economic depression, the Japanese
invasion of Manchuria, the Italian invasion of
Abyssinia, and last but not least, disarmament.


The 1920s had seen moments of prosperity and
efforts towards democracy. But, after 1930,
there was a great depression. Countries now
wanted to increase their wealth at other nations'
expense. Fascist governments which believed in
the survival of the strongest came to power in
Germany and Italy. Historians disagree about the
success of the League in the 1920s. In the
1930s, there is no doubt it failed terribly.
We will investigate the factors and events that led
to the failure of the League of Nations.

Damaged the trade and industry of all countries

Affected relations between countries

Led to important political changes within
countries

Much of the goodwill and the optimism of the late 1920s evaporated

The Background:
◦ Japan had a very powerful army & navy – army
leaders often dictated govt policy
◦ Japan had a strong industry with heavy exports to the
United States and China
◦ Japan had a growing empire, including part of the
Korean peninsula

Then, the Great Depression hit.
 USA and China used tariffs (a tax/fee paid on a particular
import or export) against Japanese goods
 Without trade from the US, Japan’s economy suffered and
they could hardly afford to feed their people
 solution = build an empire by force.
The Dispute:
 Japan controlled South Manchurian Railway
The Dispute:
 September ‘31: claimed that Chinese soldiers
had sabotaged railway
 Overran Manchuria in retaliation and threw out
Chinese
 Feb ‘32: They set up puppet govt there and
called it Manchukuo.
 Later, Japanese bombed Shanghai
 Civilian (non-military) Japanese govt asked them
to withdraw, but the army refused
 It was clear that army was in control of Japanese
foreign policy



China asked the League to help
Japan claimed they were not an aggressor,
but they were simply settling a local dispute
over the railways
Japan also claimed China was in anarchy and
they to invade in self-defense in order to
keep the peace

What the League Did:
◦ Japan was a major member in the League of Nations
◦ They must be dealt with delicately
◦ Their response was delayed
◦ The League sent a group of officials led by Lord
Lytton to study the problem (this took a year).
◦ Found that Japan had clearly acted unlawfully.
◦ In February 1933 it ordered Japan to leave
Manchuria.

The outcome:
◦ Japan refused 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 left the League.
◦ The next week they invaded Jehol

The Outcome
◦ The League = powerless
 could impose economic sanctions (restrict trade), but
without US cooperation, they would be pointless
 Britain seemed more interested in keeping good
relationship w/ Japan
◦ The League considered banning arms sales to Japan,
but most members were afraid that this would cause
Japan to retaliate and war would escalate
◦ France and Britain would NOT risk sending their armies
and navies to a war with Japan
◦ Only the USA and USSR would have the resources to
remove the Japanese by force, but neither were in the
League

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…
Japan and the Manchurian Crisis


Failed in 1920s
Increased pressure in ‘30s for League to do
something
◦ German resentment
◦ Other countries spending a lot on making weapons
◦ Manchurian Crisis


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


Been in League for 6 yrs
Growing desire within the League to treat
Germany as equals
◦ BIG QUESTION? Everyone disarm to level required or
Germany or allow Germany to ream to level of
everyone else?

So what happened?







July ‘32: Germans propose everyone scales down.
They says no. Germans walk out.
December: League reaches agreement to treat
German equally.
Jan ‘33: Germany comes back to conference.
Feb: Hitler becomes Chancellor and starts to rearm.
May: Hitler promises not to rearm IF “in 5 yrs all
other nations disarm”
June: Britain plans aggressive disarmament
October: Hitler withdrew from Disarmament
Conference, and soon after took Germany out of
the League altogether



All nations knew Hitler was secretly rearming.
They also began to rebuild own armaments
Conference continued on (without much
success) for another year, ending in 1934.


It was doomed from the start, no one had
serious intent to disarm
Britain and France were divided on the issue
◦ By ‘33 many Brits thought TofV was unfair
◦ By ‘35 Britain had signed agreement w/ Germany to
allow building up navy 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 itself and
ignoring the League
Disarmament and Abyssinia
Fatal Blow to the
League


Italy before Mussolini:
◦ After WWI = many problems
 Political (5 govts between 1919-22)
 Loss of men
 Disappointed with “mutilated peace”
Mussolini:
◦ 1919 organized gang of ex-servicemen known as the
“fascists”
◦ Loved parades and uniforms
◦ Constantly changed policies (ready to drop any belief that
got in the way of his search for power)
◦ Encouraged Italians to look up to him as a special leader
with extraordinary powers

The Fascist take-over
◦ 1922 march on Rome
◦ 1924 rigged elections (rival was murder)
◦ 1925 Mussolini began to rule as dictator
◦ 1926 all other parties banned (Communists and socialists were
imprisoned and murdered)
◦ Propaganda set to convince people that Mussolini was superhuman (ex. “Mussolini is always right”)
◦ 1928 only fascists can vote, only fascists can be candidates
◦ 1929 made agreements with the Pope (gave Church special
privileges in return for no challenge)
1.
Italians should take fierce pride in their country
2.
War is good for a country and young men should be ready to fight
3.
Italy should establish an empire in Africa
4.
No other political parties are allowed
5.
Communism and socialism are enemies of fascism
6.
7.
8.
Democracy is useless. Italy needs a strong powerful leader who can
tell people what to do.
The place of women is at home. Italian women should have as many
children possible.
A great country should be self-sufficient. The government should
tell firms what to produce to bring this about.


Abyssinia : An independent country ruled by Haile Selassie,
the only independent country in Africa. In 1896 its army had
defeated an Italian invasion and humiliated them
Mussolini : Fascist dictator of Italy, was determined to build
an Empire (like Japan, by force). He wanted revenge for defeat
of 1896 and the mineral wealth of the land. Most importantly,
wanted glory and conquest.



Dec ’34: Provoked by Italians at Ethiopian soldiers
at Wal-Wal oasis (Mussolini claimed it was Italian
territory)
Demanded apology from Abyssinia and prepared
his army for invasion
Abyssinian emperor, Haile Selassie, appealed to the
League of Nations




Britain and France did not take issue seriously - desperate to stop Italy
joining 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



But, had to respond to public outcry against Italy
British people wanted military action to defend Abyssinia
◦ Facing election, British politicians “got tough”
◦ There was a lot of talk in the League about “collective
security” 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 Abyssinia
◦ Mussolini rejected it
◦ First War Film in Abyssinia




Mussolini invades 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



The League needed to act quickly to prevent Mussolini from
gaining more ground
Condemned action and imposed a trade 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. Limited sanctions would not work.

More importantly, the Suez Canal, 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 fatal to Italy
◦ Britain and France were afraid to close it, thinking it would
lead to a full-on war with Italy

Meanwhile, secret deals between Britain and
France occurred behind League’s back:
◦ Dec ’35: Hoare and Laval, created plan to give
Mussolini 2/3 of Abyssinia in return for calling off
the invasion
◦ Details of the plan leaked to the French media – this
was BAD
◦ Haile Selassie was furious
◦ Hoare and Laval were accused of treachery against
the League and fired immediately

Feb-March ‘36:
◦ Too late to worry about oil sanctions: Mussolini had
already taken over large parts of Abyssinia
◦ The Americans were disgusted with France and
Britain and refused to support the League





The French worried about Hitler’s movement (desperate to
gain support of Italy)
May ‘36: Italy annexed the entire country
The League watched helplessly (collective security had proved
to be an empty promise)
Had hoped their handling of Abyssinia would strengthen
position against Hitler, but it was a bad choice
Mussolini and Hitler were on their way to signing their own
agreement (Rome-Berlin Axis)

Do the events of the 1930s support these
statements about the League? How?
◦ That it would be slow to act
◦ That members would act in their own self
interest, not the League’s
◦ That without the USA it would be powerless
◦ That economic sanctions would not work
◦ That without a military, it could not enforce
decisions