The League of NationsJanuary 2013 – World History II

The League of Nations

• First permanent international organization whose principal mission was to maintain world peace

• Founded in Geneva, Switzerland in 1919

• Why Switzerland?

• Based on Woodrow Wilson’s 14th Point:

A general association of nations must be formed under specific covenants for the purpose of affording mutual guarantees of political independence and territorial integrity to great and small states alike.

League covenant

• Principal mission: to maintain world peace

• Covenant describes commitment to preventing war through:

1. Collective security (the security of one is the security of all)

2. Disarmament

3. Settling international disputes through negotiation & arbitration

If disputes between nations arise…

The League had 3 options:

1. Verbal warnings

1. Economic Sanctions

1. Physical sanctions (military force)

Weaknesses of the League

Could not deliver on threats

• Maintained no military, and no member had to provide one in order to join

• Could not carry out any threats of physical sanctions, and countries knew that

Countries that didn’t join

• America did not join

• Germany was not permitted to join (until 1926)

• Russia did not join (until 1934)

Weakness of member countries

• Britain and France, still rebuilding from WWI, were not able to provide the military force that the League would need to enforce physical sanctions

Why didn’t the US join?

• Wilson’s 14th point – for which he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1919

• A general association of nations must be formed under specific covenants for the purpose of affording mutual guarantees of political independence and territorial integrity to great and small states alike.

• U.S. President may not ratify any treaty without 2/3 majority of the Senate

• Senators (mostly Republican) especially objected to Article X, which obligated the U.S. to defend any League member who was attacked

• Return to isolationism