Why did the League fail

in Manchuria?

Manchurian crisis 1931–33

Problem: Japan invaded Manchuria (in north-east China)

Response: After a long delay, no action was taken

Effect: Made the League seem weak and ineffective

Disarmament conference 1932–34Problem: Germany complained that only it had disarmed

Response: League could not get other members to agree to disarm

Effect: Germany left the League and began to rearm openlyLeague members such as Britain no longer tried to stop itLeague members also began to rearm themselves

Abyssinian crisis 1935–36

Problem: Italy invaded Abyssinia

Response: League members could not agree effective sanctions against Italy

Britain and France tried to do a secret deal to give most of Abyssinia to Italy

Effect: League was seen as powerless and irrelevant

Challenged by theDictators who

Gained supportDue to the treaty

and depression

Manchuria 1931 - So where is Manchuria?

How is this different to the problems in the 1920’s that

the League faced?

Why did Japan invade?

• Japanese troops on the march in Manchuria 1931

• Japanese troop in Manchuria 1931

What do you think this cartoon shows us?

Why did the League fail?

A long and frustrating delay

Japan resigned from the League

The League was powerless without an army

Economic sanctions, but without the USA they would

be meaningless.

Britain wanted to keep up good relations with Japan

Member countries could not even agree

Britain and France would not risking their navies or armies

in a war

Only the USA and the USSR would have had the resources to remove the Japanese from

Manchuria.

Why did Japan invade Manchuria?

World Depression

Lack of resources in

Japan

Military gain

Build an empire

Raw materials in Manchuria

Dispute over Manchurian

railway

Can you make any links

between these reasons?

What is the view from this French cartoonist about Japan’s actions?

What might its purpose be?

Message and purpose are very closely linked

© Hodder Murray

A cartoon by David Low, 1933. Low was one of the mostfamous cartoonists of the 1930s. He regularly criticised both theactions of dictators around the world and the ineffectiveness of

the League of Nations.

Page 247

Why did the League fail in Abyssinia?

Abyssinia invaded by Italy 1935

• Italy invaded Abyssinia• Near to British and French Colonies• Abyssinian is weak and defenseless country

Abyssinia 1935 - So where is Abyssinia?

• Abyssinia is today called Ethiopia in Eastern Africa.

British, French and Italian possessions in eastern Africa.

SOURCE 14

Aims

• Understand why Italy invaded Abyssinia in 1935

• Understand the key reasons why the League failed.

Mussolini was known as Il Duce. Here he is addressing a large crowd, dressed in military uniform, a good public speaker – remind you of anyone else in the 1930’s?

What is the message of the cartoon?

Six R’s

• Revenge – Italy defeated in 1896• Resources – valuable • Roman Empire – Gain support in Italy / defect attention

away• Row – Excuse to invade• Reject – Rejected Leagues and GB/French offers• Remember – Had already seen weakness of League in

Manchuria

DATE ACTIONS OF MUSSOLINI AND HITLER ACTIONS OF THE LEAGUE

Mid 1935 Preparation continued for full invasion Negotiation but no action

Sept 1935 Mussolini rejected the plan Plan put forward for Mussolini to get some of Abyssinia

Oct 1935 Launched full scale attack Some sanctions imposed, but not oil. Suez canal left open.

Early 1935

Dispute between Italy and Abyssinia. Invasion began. No action

Dec 1935 War continued Secret plan – Hoare-Laval Plan to given 2/3 Abyssinia to Italy..

Feb 1936 War Continued Agreed on oil sanctions but too late

March 1936 Hitler remilitarised the Rhineland No action

May 1936 Took entire country GB and France trying to keep Italy on side

December 1934

Preparation for full invasion GB and France played for time to keep Italy on side.

Nov 1936 Rome-Berlin Axis

SITED

• Stop war• Improve peoples lives• Trade co-operation• Enforce the treaties• Disarmament

Why had the League failed over Manchuria and Abyssinia? SITED

• How it was set up.• USA not a member• USSR and Germany did not join

initial• Italy , Japan and Germany would

walk out.• No army• Did not meet very often – once a

year.• Voting needed to be unanimous

in the assembly• Council was dominated by GB

and France• Treaties it had to enforce were

seen as unfair

• How it acted.• Slow and indecisive• Failed to sent troops• Selfish• Wanted to keep Italy, Japan

and Germany on side• Feared another war• Did not implement harsh

sanctions• Did deals with aggressive

powers e.g. Italy over Abyssinia and Corfu

• It looked weak to aggressive powers

SOURCE 13

Source C - A cartoon from the Daily Express, 19 July 1934, by Sidney Strube.The singer is supposed to be France. France had proposed an alliance with

the USSR known as ‘Eastern Locarno’.

SOURCE 11

A German cartoon from July 1933 commenting on France’sconstant call for more security when it was already well armed.

© Hodder Murray

A cartoon from Punch, 1938.

SOURCE 24 B

© Hodder Murray

A cartoon from Punch, 1938. The doctors

represent Britain and France.

SOURCE 24A

Why did the League fail to secure disarmament?

No one wished to disarm

Hitler secretly rearmed

Hitler walked out of disarmament talks

Other countries realising Hitler was rearming also

started to rearm

GB and France were divided on the issue – GB thought that the Treaty of Versailles was too harsh

British allowed Germany to build up its navy as long as it stayed under 35 per cent of the size of the British navy. Britain did not

consult either its allies or the League