The League of Nations

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The League of Nations
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Aims

• Identify the main aims of the League.
• Examine the problems and successes of the League.

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The Aims of the League

• The overall aim of this new organisation was to
  avoid future conflicts through discussion.
• The League was based on a principle of
  collective security. This meant that if one
  member of the League was attacked, the others
  would come to its defence. Sounds good so far.

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The Aims of the League

• Members states (countries) also agreed
• that the League should
• Settle disputes between countries
• Oversee international disarmament
• Supervise the administration of Germanys former
  colonies
• Promote international cooperation throughout the
  world.

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The Organisation of the League
League of Nations
Assembly
Council
Permanent Court of Justice
Secretariat
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How was the League Organised?

• The Assembly
• Met once a year.
• Each member had a vote
• All decisions had to be unanimous
• Voted on big issues such as the budget
• The Council
• Met 3 times a year and in emergencies.
• Tried to resolve international disputes.
• Permanent members such as France and Britain
  could veto decisions.
• Could impose sanctions.

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• The Secretariat
• Kept records and prepared reports
• The Court of International Justice
• Gave advice to the Council and Assembly
• Could make decisions on border disputes
• There were also commissions (departments)
  concerned with abolishing slavery, helping
  refugees and prisoners of war and improving world
  health.

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What Could the League Do?

• Moral sanction publicly condemn an aggressive
  country.
• Economic sanction refuse to trade or lend money
  to an aggressor
• Military sanction take military action against
  an aggressor.
• Expel an aggressor from the League.

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USA refused to join
Defeated countries e.g. Germany, Russia not
allowed to join
No army to enforce its decisions
Weaknesses of the League
Members had to agree to work together
Not a League of all nations
Decisions had to unanimous
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Successes of the League

• The League had many supporters in various
  countries.
• They resolved some minor disputes over land e.g.
  Aaland islands dispute between Sweden and
  Finland.
• The Commissions of the League helped to tackles
  issues such as POWs, trade in illegal drugs,
  slavery and health issues.

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Task

• Look again at the problems the League of Nations
  faced.
• For each one write a brief note explaining WHY
  the factor would cause problems for the League.