Successes and Failures

The League quickly proved its value by settling the Swedish-Finnish dispute over the Åland
Islands (1920–21), guaranteeing the security of Albania (1921), rescuing Austria from economic
disaster, settling the division of Upper Silesia (1922), and preventing the outbreak of war in the
Balkans between Greece and Bulgaria (1925). In addition, the League extended considerable aid
to refugees; it helped to suppress white slave and opium traffic; it did pioneering work in
surveys of health; it extended financial aid to needy states; and it furthered international
cooperation in labor relations and many other fields.

The problem of bringing its political influence to bear, especially on the great powers, soon made
itself felt. Poland refused to abide by the League decision in the Vilnius dispute, and the League
was forced to stand by powerlessly in the face of the French occupation of the Ruhr (1923) and
Italy's occupation of Kérkira (1923). Failure to take action over the Japanese invasion of
Manchuria (1931) was a blow to the League's prestige, especially when followed by Japan's
withdrawal from the League (1933). Another serious failure was the inability of the League to
stop the Chaco War (1932–35; see under Gran Chaco) between Bolivia and Paraguay.

In 1935 the League completed its successful 15-year administration of the Saar territory (see
Saarland) by conducting a plebiscite under the supervision of an international military force. But
even this success was not sufficient to offset the failure of the Disarmament Conference,
Germany's withdrawal from the League (1933), and Italy's successful attack on Ethiopia in
defiance of the League's economic sanctions (1935). In 1936, Adolf Hitler remilitarized the
Rhineland and denounced the Treaty of Versailles; in 1938 he seized Austria.

Faced by threats to international peace from all sides—the Spanish civil war, Japan's resumption
of war against China (1937), and finally the appeasement of Hitler at Munich (1938)—the
League collapsed. German claims on Danzig (see Gdańsk), where the League commissioner had
been reduced to impotence, led to the outbreak of World War II. The last important act of the
League came in Dec., 1939, when it expelled the USSR for its attack on Finland.

In 1940 the League secretariat in Geneva was reduced to a skeleton staff; some of the technical
services were removed to the United States and Canada. The allied International Labor
Organization continued to function and eventually became affiliated with the United Nations. In
1946 the League dissolved itself, and its services and real estate (notably the Palais des Nations
in Geneva) were transferred to the United Nations. The League's chief success lay in providing
the first pattern of permanent international organization, a pattern on which much of the United
Nations was modeled. Its failures were due as much to the indifference of the great powers,
which preferred to reserve important matters for their own decisions, as to weaknesses of
organization.
 What were the successes and failures of the League of Nations
in the 1920s?
Summary
The League of Nations could stop small wars and improved some people’s lives. But it could not
defend the Treaty of Versailles, get disarmament, or stop powerful countries.
It stopped some wars – e.g. it arbitrated between Sweden and Finland over the Aaland
Islands (1921) and stopped the invasion of Bulgaria by Greece (1925). In 1928, the League
arranged the Kellogg-Briand Pact, which outlawed war. The League also took 400,000 Prisoners
of War home and set up refugee camps. The Health Committee worked against leprosy. The
League closed down four Swiss drugs companies, and attacked slave owners.
However, there were also failures. The League sometimes failed to enforce the Treaty of
Versailles (e.g., the Poles captured Vilna in 1920, and Lithuania seized Memel in 1923). The
League could not stop powerful nations (e.g., in 1923, when France invaded the Ruhr, and Italy
occupied Corfu). Also, the ILO failed to bring in a 48-hour week, and both disarmament
conferences failed – in 1923 (because Britain objected) and in 1931 (because Germany walked
out).

The League of Nations aimed to stop wars, improve people’s lives and jobs, encourage
disarmament and enforce the Treaty of Versailles.

Judged against these aims, the League was quite successful in the 1920s.
It stopped border disputes turning into wars. In Silesia in 1921 it held a plebiscite and
suggested a partition, which stopped a war between Germany and Poland. It arbitrated
between Sweden and Finland over the Aaland Islands in 1921 – its investigation showed
that the islands belonged to Finland. When the League rejected Turkey’s claim to Mosul, a
part of Iraq (a British mandate), Turkey agreed. Finally, when Greece invaded Bulgaria in
1925, the League ordered Greece to withdraw, which it did. The highest point of the League’s
work was the Kellogg-Briand Pact of 1928, an Act of the League’s Assembly, supported by 65
nations, which outlawed war.
The League also improved people’s lives. It took 400,000 Prisoners of War home. It
set up refugee camps after the 1922 war between Turkey and Greece. The Health Committee
worked against leprosy and malaria. The League closed down four Swiss companies which were
selling drugs, and attacked slave owners in Burma and Sierra Leone, setting free 200,000
slaves. Finally, its economics experts helped Austria (1922) and Hungary (1923).

These successes, however, are balanced by some failures.

The League sometimes failed to enforce the Treaty of Versailles. In 1920, the Poles
captured Vilna (the capital of Lithuania) and refused to withdraw when the League ordered it to;
the League could do nothing. And when, in 1923, Lithuania seized Memel, a German port under
League control, the League told Lithuania to leave, but the Conference of Ambassadors gave
Memel to Lithuania.
The League could not stop wars when powerful nations were involved. Turkey drove the
Greeks out of Smyrna in 1922 – all the League could do was agree. France invaded the Ruhr in
1923 when the Germans did not pay reparations; the League was not even consulted. Again, in
1923, after an Italian general named Tellini was murdered in Greece, Italy occupied Corfu.
Greece asked the League for help, which ordered Mussolini to leave – but the Conference of
Ambassadors overruled the League and forced Greece to pay compensation to Italy. Other
treaties such as the Washington Treaty (1921) and the Locarno Pact (1925) are a sign that
nations did not think the League could stop wars.
There were other failures. The ILO failed to persuade members countries to adopt a 48-
hour week. A disarmament conference in 1923 failed because Britain objected. It took until
1932 to arrange another conference, which was wrecked when Germany demanded equal
armaments with Britain and France.
So, the League of Nations was successful in small ways in the 1920s, stopping small wars
and improving lives. But it could not defend the Treaty of Versailles, it failed to get
disarmament, and it could not persuade powerful countries to stop fighting.
 Six Successes of the League in the 1920s
[SAMBOK]

1. Silesia, 1921
The League settled a dispute between Germany and Poland – it held a plebiscite and suggested a partition;
Germany and Poland agreed.

2. Aaland Islands, 1921

The League settled a dispute between Sweden and Finland – after an investigation it said that the islands should
belong to Finland; Sweden and Finland agreed.

3. Mosul, 1924
The Turks demanded Mosul, a part of Iraq (a British mandate). The League supported Iraq; Turkey agreed.
(Interesting fact: in 1992, the people of Mosul, who were being persecuted by Saddam Hussein, went to the United Nations and cited League of
Nations documents which guaranteed them minority rights in 1924, when the League gave Mosul to Iraq. The incident may have been a success for
the League, but it was a disaster for the Kurds who lived there.)

4. Bulgaria, 1925
Greece invaded Bulgaria, which did not fight back, but appealed to the League. The League ordered Greece to
withdraw, which it did.

5. Other
400,000 Prisoners of War repatriated
Turkish refugee camps helped (1922)
Work against leprosy (extermination of mosquitoes)
Drugs companies blacklisted
Attacks on slave owners in Sierra Leone and Burma
Economic advice to Austria (1922) and Hungary (1923)

6. Kellogg-Briand Pact, 1928

An Act of the League Assembly, signed by 23 nations and supported by 65 countries, accepted the Pact to outlaw
war; it was the highest point of the League’s work.
 Six Failures of the League in the 1920s
[VIMCOD]

1. Vilna, 1920
The Poles captured Vilna (the capital of Lithuania). The League ordered Poland to withdraw, though Britain and
France supported Poland. Poland refused. The League could do nothing.

2. Invasion of the Ruhr, 1923

France invaded the Ruhr when the Germans did not pay reparations; the League was not even consulted, and
Britain disagreed.

3. Memel, 1923
Lithuania seized Memel, a German port under League control. The League told Lithuania to leave, but the
Conference of Ambassadors gave Memel to Lithuania.

4. Corfu, 1923
An Italian general named Tellini was murdered in Greece, so Italy occupied Corfu. Greece appealed to the
League for help, which ordered Mussolini to leave – but the Conference of Ambassadors overruled the League
and forced Greece to pay compensation to Italy.

5. Other Treaties
It is a sign that most countries relied, not on the League, but on separate treaties to keep them safe:
Washington Treaty, 1921 (naval agreement between USA, Britain and Japan)
Dawes Plan, 1924 (to sort out reparations)
Locarno Pact, 1925 (to defend Versailles Treaty)
The Geneva Protocol, 1925 (a mutual promise not to use poison gas or germ warfare - failed because
Britain changed its mind at the last minute and refused to sign it! The USA and Japan also refused to sign.)

6. Disarmament
A disarmament conference failed in 1923 because Britain objected. It took until 1931 to arrange another
conference, which was wrecked by Germany, which demanded equal armaments with Britain and France.
Was the League successful in the 1920s?
This topic is not overtly part of the AQA syllabus, but MAKE SURE at least that you are aware what was going on in the 1920s to
meet the syllabus requirement to know about the League's 'peacekeeping role'.

During the 1920s the League assimilated Links

new members, helped settle minor Successes and failures
international disputes, and experienced no Factmonster: successes and failures
UN list of League peacekeeping activities (difficult)
serious challenges to its authority.
Encyclopaedia Britannica (1994) Powerpoints:
• Alliances and World War I ppt. swf.

What were the successes and failures of the League of

Nations in the 1920s?

Did the League stop wars in the 1920s?

The main aim of the League of Nations was to stop wars. In the 1920s, there were many small
disputes between countries, which the League tried to solve.

This spread looks at two disputes (for information about more disputes click this link). Did the
League manage to stop wars in the 1920s? Decide if you think the League was a success or a
failure.
Corfu, 1923 Bulgaria, 1925

The Dispute: The Dispute:

An Italian general was killed while he was doing some work Some Greek soldiers were killed in a small fight on the border between
for the League in Greece. The Italian leader Mussolini was Greece and Bulgaria. The Greeks were angry. They invaded Bulgaria.
angry with the Greeks. He invaded the Greek island of
Corfu. Bulgaria asked the League to help.

The Greeks asked the League to help.

What the League did:
The Council of the League met. It condemned the Greeks, and told them
What the League did: to leave Bulgaria.
The Council of the League met. It condemned Mussolini,
and told him to leave Corfu.
It told the Greeks to give some money to the League.
What happened:
The Bulgarian government sent orders to its army not to fight back.
What happened: The Greeks did as the League said. They left Bulgaria.
Mussolini refused to accept its decision. He refused to
leave Corfu.
The League changed its decision. It told Greece to
apologise to Mussolini, and to pay the money to Italy.
The Greeks did as the League said. Then Mussolini gave
Corfu back to Greece.

To Think About: To Think About:

Was the League successful in Corfu? Was the League successful in Bulgaria?

Do You Agree?
In 1925, Greece complained that there seemed to be one
set of rules for small countries such as Greece, and a
different set of rules for big countries such as Italy.

Source A
A British cartoon of 1925 shows Greece and Bulgaria fighting – like
Tweedle-dum and Tweedle-dee in the story Alice in Wonderland. The
League, like a dove of peace, stops the fight. A poem under the
cartoon reads:
'Just then came down a monstrous dove
Whose force was purely moral
Which tuned the heroes hearts to love
And made then drop their quarrel.'

What does the picture show?

What is the cartoonist suggesting about the League?
 The League's other Work in the 1920s
Besides its aim to Stop Wars, the League of Nations had three other aims:
Improve people’s lives and jobs,
Disarmament,
Enforce the Treaty of Versailles.

As you study what the League did, you will be able to decide if you think the League was a
success or a failure.

a. Bulgaria (1925) h. Jobs

Greece obeyed the League’s orders to pull out of The International Labour Organisation failed to persuade
Bulgaria in 1925. countries to adopt a 48-hour week.

b. Poland (1920) i. Economic problems

Poland took land from Russia, breaking the Treaty of The League sent economics experts to help Austria and Hungary.
Versailles. The Poles ignored the League’s order to
stop

c. Slaves j. Kellogg-Briand Pact (1928)

The League attacked slave traders in Africa and Sixty-five countries signed the treaty to end war – but then they
Burma and freed 200,000 slaves. just ignored it.

d. Disease k. Refugees (1922)

The League worked to prevent malaria and leprosy. The League set up camps and fed Turkish refugees.

e. Disarmament (1932) l. Corfu (1923)

Disarmament talks failed, because Germany Mussolini ignored the League’s orders to pull out of Corfu in
demanded as many weapons as everyone else. 1923, and made Greece pay money to Italy.

f. Prisoners of War m. Drugs

The League took home half a million World War One The League closed down four big Swiss companies which were
prisoners of war. selling drugs.

g. Reparations (1921) n. Invasion of the Ruhr

When the Germans refused to pay, France and Britain France invaded the Ruhr in 1923 to force the Germans to pay
invaded Germany and made them pay. Reparations.

Extra:
1. Divide boxes a–n up into ‘successes’ and ‘failures'.
2. Divide up the 'successes' into the four kinds of work done by the League:
a. Stopping wars; (2 a&j) (3 j,l,n)
b. Improving lives and jobs; (6 i,c,d,k,f,m) (1 h)
c. Disarmament; (0) (1e)
d. Enforcing the Treaty of Versailles. (1 g) (2 n,b)
3. Now divide up the 'failures' into the four kinds of work done by the League.
4. Overall, was the League a success or a failure in the 1920s?