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The League had no means of enforcing its decisions other than the effect of world opinion. If a power chose to be defiant, there was nothing effective that the League could do. S
Reed Brett, European History 1900-1960 (1967).
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Links
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Strengths and WeaknessesForty-two
countries joined the League at the start. In the 1930s about 60
countries were members. This made the League seem strong. Britain and France were the main members, helped by Italy and Japan; they were quite powerful countries.
The League hoped that it could influence countries to 'do the right thing' by: Many writers have pointed out that these are not very effective weapons against a powerful country which was determined to disobey the League.
The League had four powers it could use to make countries do as it wanted. Theoretically, the League was allowed to use military force, but the League did not have an army of its own – so if a country ignored it, in the end, there was nothing the League could do.
The
main strength of the League was that it had been set
up by the Treaty of Versailles, and agreed by everybody at the
conference. When, later, many people started to criticise and
attack the Treaty, this was also a major weakness.
Another critical weakness was that, the most powerful countries in the world were not members. The USA did not want to join. The Russians refused to join – they were Communists and hated Britain and France. Germany was not allowed to join. Without these three big powers, the League was weak.
One
of the
biggest weaknesses was that the
League’s organisation was a muddle. The different
parts of the League were supposed to act together; but in a crisis, no-one
could agree. |
Powers of the League1.
Covenant (in the
League's Covenant, Articles
10-17, members promised
to keep the peace). 2. Condemnation
(the League could tell a
country it was doing wrong). 3. Arbitration
(the League could offer to
decide between two countries). 4. Sanctions
(stopping trade).
The League's Organisation1. Assembly (the League's main meeting – all members met once a year. Decisions had to be unanimous.) 2.
Council (a small group of the more
important nations – inc. Britain, France, Italy & Japan – met 4–5 times a year). 3.
Agencies (committees of
the League):
• Court
of International Justice. 4.
Secretariat (was supposed to organise the League).
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Source AWhy did the League fail? I can tell you in a word: Wilson. Head in the clouds, so high-minded that he was no earthly use - it failed while it was still in his mind. Its aims were dreams - stop wars, make the world a better place... They were beyond God, never mind the League. Written by a modern historian (2004). Source BOne basic weakness of the League was that it was tied in people's minds to the Versailles settlement, and criticism thrown at Versailles fell on the League. The refusal of the USA to join the League and the fact that Britain and France were the only major nations of Europe who remained full members, severely handicapped its efforts. Written by PJ Larkin, European History for Certificate Classes (1965). PJ Larkin was a teacher of secondary school pupils, and this is a revision book. Source CIf any member of the League goes to war, all the other members will behave as if that member country had declared war on them. They will strop trading with that country. They will advise the Council of the League about any armed action that should be taken. adapted from the Covenant of the League of Nations (1919).
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Source
C
‘Moral Persuasion'– an English cartoon of 1936.
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America Pulls Out
Perhaps the greatest weakness of the League was that, when Wilson got back home to the United States, the American Senate refused to join the League. Americans did not want to get dragged into other countries’ problems.
This damaged
the League a lot.
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LinksA brilliant explanation by Ben Walsh of why America refused to join |
Source
D
‘The
Gap in the Bridge’ – a cartoon of 1919 by
Leonard Ravenhill in the This cartoon is critical of America. Although President Wilson had been the originator the the idea of a League (see the sign), now - although the USA is the 'keystone' (essential to stop the League collapsing) - America is refusing to join.
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What is the meaning of this cartoon? • The cartoon is pointing out that - in the face of national self-interest and 'international strife' (the desire for war), the League's power of 'moral persuasion' was about as helpless as a rabbit faced by a python. • It is said that a rabbit is paralysed by fear in the face of danger - such as car headlights, or a snake. The cartoonist is suggesting that the League of Nations is the same - unable to act in the face of the coming disaster (the 2nd World War). |
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What is the meaning of this cartoon? • The date - 10 December 1919 - is three months before the Senate rejected the League of Nations, so the cartoon is prophetic; Ravenhill is guessing what will happen, not commenting on what has happened. • The irony of the cartoon was that it was Woodrow Wilson who - in his speech to the Peace Conference in January 1919 - had called the League of Nations 'the keystone of the arch' of peace. • This cartoon was therefore directed partly to amuse the British readers of Punch, pointing out the hypocrisy of the American position - the originators and the keystone of the League, but now preparing to ignore it. • However, the cartoon was also directed partly to try to shame the Americans to take part in the League. |
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