VCE Modern History (Year 11) · Unit 1 — Change and Conflict, 1918–1939 · 16m read

The League of Nations — Hopes and Failures

The League of Nations was the world's first attempt at collective security. It solved some disputes in the 1920s but collapsed when tested by powerful aggressors in the 1930s — lessons that shaped the United Nations.

Learning objective: Evaluate the successes and failures of the League of Nations in maintaining peace.

By the end of this lesson you can:

• I can describe the League's aims and structure.
• I can explain its successes in the 1920s.
• I can explain why it failed in the 1930s.

The League was a police force without a car or gun. It could write tickets (sanctions) and give speeches, but without the USA or an army, it couldn't chase down aggressors.

The League of Nations — Hopes and Failures

AIMS:
• Prevent war through COLLECTIVE SECURITY — members would act together against an aggressor.
• Encourage disarmament and improve health, labour and living conditions.

STRUCTURE AND POWERS:
• Assembly, Council, Permanent Court of International Justice, agencies (ILO, Health Organisation).
• Sanctions: moral condemnation, economic sanctions, and in theory military action.

WEAKNESSES:
• The USA never joined; Germany and the USSR were initially excluded.
• Decisions needed unanimity.
• No army of its own.

SUCCESSES (1920s):
• Åland Islands dispute (1921) and the Greek–Bulgarian crisis (1925) settled.
• Humanitarian work with refugees and disease.

FAILURES (1930s):
• MANCHURIA (1931) — Japan invaded; the League condemned it; Japan simply left.
• ABYSSINIA (1935) — Italy invaded; sanctions excluded oil; Britain and France undermined the League.

| Crisis | Outcome | Lesson |
|---|---|---|
| Åland Islands (1921) | Resolved | Success with small powers |
| Corfu (1923) | Italy pressured Greece | Great powers bypassed League |
| Manchuria (1931) | Lytton Report; Japan left | Couldn't stop major power |
| Abyssinia (1935–36) | Weak sanctions; Italy conquered | Credibility collapsed |

Key ideas at a glance

• Structural weaknesses: No army, unanimity, absent USA.
• Successes in social work: Refugees, health.
• Depression changed priorities: Self-interest.
• Evaluate, don't list: Weigh causes.

Worked example (Medium)

Why did the Abyssinian crisis damage the League so badly?

1. Event. Italy, a Council member, invaded Abyssinia in 1935.
2. Response. Sanctions did not include oil, and the Suez Canal stayed open.
3. Betrayal. The secret Hoare–Laval Pact showed Britain and France were willing to reward aggression.
4. Effect. Members lost faith in collective security.

Answer: It showed the leading members would not enforce collective security against a major power.

Worked example (Hard)

Explain why the Abyssinian crisis was fatal to the League.

1. Sanctions. Excluded oil; Suez Canal stayed open.
2. Hoare-Laval Pact. Britain and France secretly offered Italy land.
3. Effect. Exposed hypocrisy; League discredited.

Answer: Weak sanctions and secret deals destroyed credibility.

Common mistakes

• Saying the League "achieved nothing" It had real 1920s and humanitarian successes. Fix: Balance successes and failures.
• Ignoring structural weaknesses Unanimity and no army limited action from the start. Fix: Link failures to structure.

Practice questions

1. Which major power never joined the League?

   1. Britain
   2. France
   3. USA
   4. Italy

   (1 marks)

2. Explain why collective security was hard to achieve.

   (2 marks)

3. Which major power never joined the League?

   1. Britain
   2. USA
   3. France
   4. Italy

   (1 marks)

4. Explain one structural weakness of the League.

   (2 marks)

Summary

• Collective security was the League's core idea.
• Successes in small 1920s disputes.
• Failed against Japan and Italy in the 1930s.
• Weak structure + great-power self-interest.