GCSE History

• the covenant set out the aims of the league of nations they were to :
• discourage agression from any nation
• encourage companies to cooperate , especially in trade and in buisness
• encourage nations to disarm
• improve living and working conditions across the world

• organisation
• membership
• Britain and france
• The treaty of versailles
• Economic sanctions
• Military sanctions
• The will to make it work
• The economic depression

decisions in the council and in the assembly had to be unanimous which was impractical . the league did not meet very often so there were delays , and decisions often came too late for effective action e.g. the dealy over the Manchurian crisis

• The USA never joined
• Germany did not join until 1926 and left in 1933
• Japan left in 1933
• Italy left in 1937
• The USSR did not join until 1934 and were expeled in 1939 after going to war with Finland

the governments of bith Britain and France were not always enthusiastic in their support of the league . They sometimes went behind the league's back e.g. the Hoare-Laval pact

like an organisation designed to benifit the victors of the first world war , especially Britain and France . Furthermore the terms of the treaty were increasingly seen as unfair and in need of amendment which was a problem for the league

some of the major powers , especially the USA , were outside the league and partly becausecountries were in an economic depression , so did not want to damage their own economies by cutting off trade

collective security was used . the league did not have a ready army at its disposal and individual countries were relucant to commit troops

• failed to keep the rules and meet their obligations
• they were not willing to take the necessary action to deal with agressors
• they were often willing to act unless their own interests were at stake and they sometimes even acted against league decisions

Britain and France prepared to carve up Abyssinia in the Hoare-Laval pact , rather than imposing effective sanctions against Mussolini

Germany and Japan who were willing to use force to solve their problems , as was Mussolini in Italy . The depression also made it less likely that countries would co-operate with one another and economic problems made it more difficult for countries to take action against agressors . This undermined collective security