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League
of
Nations
League of Nations
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Palace of Nations—Geneva, Switzerland—League
Headquarters 1938-1946
League of Nations
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Aims: promote int’l cooperation—settle disputes
through negotiation
prevent war through collective security
improve global welfare
disarmament
January 1920: formally came into existence
Official languages: French & English
League Bodies
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Council
Assembly
Secretariat… headed by Secretary-General
Closely related, but autonomous bodies…
Permanent Court of International Justice
International Labor Organization
League Bodies
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League established subsidiary bodies to promote
cooperation in fields of health, education, social
& economic matters
Commission for Refugees
est. 1921; created the
Nansen passport to help
identify and resettle
refugees
Passport named for
Fridtjof Nansen
League of Nations
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No military or peacekeeping force
Member nations were NOT required to provide
troops if it became necessary to ensure peace
“Anything the League does or does not do is due
to the policies of the Government members of
the League, who, in their turn, are moved by the
pressure of public opinion behind them”
https://bl-libg-doghill.ads.iu.edu/leagueweb/book/title.html
Assembly
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Contained all League members
Each country had 1 vote, though could have up
to three delegates
Decisions were unanimous vote
Questions of procedure, membership of
committees or election of temporary members of
the Council were majority decision
New nations admitted by 2/3 vote
First Assembly
League Membership
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1920... 42 members
During the 1920s…
14 additional countries admitted
Hungary (1922)
Germany (1926)
2 countries withdrew (Brazil & Costa Rica)
Chinese Delegation 1920
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During the 1930s…
7 additional countries admitted
Kingdom of Iraq (1932)
Turkey admitted (1932)
USSR admitted (1934)
13 countries withdrew
Germany & Japan (1933)
Italy (1937)
2 countries annexed
Austria (1938)
Albania (1939)
1 country expelled… USSR (1939)
Council
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Met every three months
Began with four permanent members…
France, G. Britain, Italy, Japan
USA was supposed to be a permanent member;
Germany was given the US seat in 1926
There were four non-permanent members, later
changed to 10 non-permanent members
Main task was to settle international disputes
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Responsible for protecting minorities in different
parts of Europe
Oversaw Mandate system
Responsible for the Saar Governing Commission
Decisions were by unanimous vote
Secretariat
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The “civil service” of the League
Were not representatives of their home
governments
Secretary-Generals…
from UK 1920-1933
from France 1933-1940
from Ireland 1940-1946
Mandate System
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The origin of the idea of a mandate system was in
Wilson’s 5th point of the 14 Points—”a free, openminded, and absolutely impartial adjustment of all
colonial claims…”
Set up in Article 22 of the Versailles Treaty
Limited to former colonies of Germany and nonTurkish areas of the Ottoman Empire
Mandatory countries were to file annual reports
with the Permanent Mandates Commission
There was no requirement that Mandatory
countries take specific steps to help countries
actually achieve self government & independence
Mandate System
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Areas felt to be closest to achieving democratic
self rule were referred to as “A” Mandates… all A
Mandates were in the Middle East
Areas felt to need guidance and protection of a
mandatory power to learn to establish an
eventual democratic nation were referred to as
“B” Mandates… B Mandates were mostly in Africa
Areas felt to be better off as part of a Mandatory
nation; they might become independent far in the
future and were referred to as “C” Mandates…
they were located in Africa & the South Pacific
Mandatory Countries
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Great Britain—Mesopotamia (later Iraq)
France—Syria
Japan—South Pacific Mandate
South Africa—Southwest Africa
Belgium—Rwanda & Urundi
Australia—German New Guinea
New Zealand—Nauru (along w/Australia & GB)
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NOTE: Italy did NOT receive a mandate
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Enforcement of League
Decisions
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Moral persuasion… use of diplomacy
Economic sanctions
Use of military force, but the League had
no army… it had to rely on member states
to provide military
Q&A
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1.What criteria was used to determine whether
an area was classified as an A, B or C Mandate?
2.In the Assembly, a decision had to be backed
by what percentage of the vote?
Q&A
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3.In what year did Germany join the League of
Nations? In what year did Germany leave?
4.List two ways the League of Nations could
enforce its decisions.
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http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/treaty_of_versailles.htm
http://www.indiana.edu/~league/
http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/FWWleague.htm
http://www.historylearningsite.co.ul/leagueofnations.htm
http://worldatwar.net/timeline/other/league18-46.html
http://www.unog.ch/80256EE600581D0E/(httpPages)/1DB47BF4B01671BF80256EF70059153C?OpenDoc
ument
https://bl-libg-doghill.ads.iu.edu/league-web/book/title.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palace_of_Nations
http://www.cartoons.ac.uk/browse/cartoon_item/anytext=League%20of%20Nations?artist=Low;%20Dav
id%20(1891-1963) &subjects_text[]=League%20of%20Nations%201919&page=17
http://www.firstworldwar.com/bio/wilson.htm
http://www.firstworldwar.com/bio/lloydgeorge.htm
http://www.firstworldwar.com/bio/clemenceau.htm
http://www.firstworldwar.com/bio/orlando.htm
http://homepage.mac.com/oldtownman/text/versaillestreaty/vercontents.html
http://www.americanforeignrelations.com/E-N/Mandates-and-Trusteeships-League-of-nationsmandates.html
http://www.nationsencyclopedia.com/United-Nations/The-Trusteeship-Council-THE-MANDATE-SYSTEMOF-THE-LEAGUE-OF-NATIONS.html
http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/treaty-st-germain.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Bulgaria_after_Treatry_of_Neuilly-sur-Seine.png
http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/treaty_of_trianon.htm
http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/treaty_of_sevres.htm
Sources