The League of Nations and Causes of WWII

The aim of the league of nations was to promote collective security and prevent another world war.

Failures of the League

• Main world powers never were in the league at the same time.
• the US never joined, even though it was Wilson who suggested the idea
• Germany wasn't able to join until 1926, and then left in 1933.
• the USSR didn' join until 1934
• Italy left in 1935
• Perception that it was "run by" Great Britain and France. (Victors of WWI)
• France and GB made mandates out of the Middle East
• Took away colonies from Germany in Africa and the Pacific

Long and Short Terms Causes of WWII

• World Wide Economic Crisis 1929
• US Stock Market collapses, US cuts off loans to Germany.
• Crisis spreads to Europe and Asia.
• Countries began focusing on domestic issues rather than foreign policy.
• Lack of will to enforce collective security.
• GB and France couldn't afford to send armies or rebuild the armies for Peacemaking in the League of Nations.
• Treaty of Versailles - regain territories and restore German pride
• League of Nations
• Japan invades Manchuria in 1931
• Some consider this the start of WWII
• in the late 20s and 30s military takes control of the Japanese Government
• Japanese exports shrink
• silk trade goes down
• hurts Japanese farmers
• Chinese squeeze out some Japanese Business
• 1931 the Army invades Manchuria without Governments Permission
• Japanese PM objects and is assassinated
• PM, who was friendly to the army, was put into office.
• Washington Naval Conference 1921-1922
• USA and Japan (and Great Britain) have conflicting economic interests in Asia.
• Fight over who would get control over raw materials
• Japanese ideology in the 1930s was "Asians for the Asians
• The purpose of the Naval Conference was to improve relations between Japan and the USA (and Great Britain)
• The conference wanted to prevent another Naval Race
• Agreement: The Japanese Navy would be 3/5 the size of US and British Navies.
• Great Britain and the USA promise not to build any more Navy bases within striking distance of Japan. Bases already set up in the Philippines and Guam would remain.
• US, France, Great Britain, and Japan agree to the Neutrality of China
• German Invasion of Poland - 1939
• Immediate cause of World War II.
• Germany invades Poland, expecting Britain and France to remain passive.
• Upon invading Poland, Britain and France declare war almost immediately.
• Italian Invasion of Ethiopia
• Mussolini and Haile Selassie signed a pact to remain non-aggressive.
• Mussolini breaks the pact after accusing Ethiopia of aggression after a class at Wal Wal.
• The League of Nations attempted to impose economic sanctions on Italy. This attempt took six weeks before it started working, but even then it wasn't enough. There was a  sanction on goods like steel and gold, but a sanction on oil could have halted the invasion immediately.
• The League could not stop the invasion, mainly because the US was not apart of the LoN.
• This invasion was a blow to the attempts at peacemaking in the 1930s, and would be a factor in war.