The Importance of the League of Nations' Failures

How did the failures of the League of Nations lead to the Second World War?

The League of Nations was ultimately established in 1920 to promote international peace and prevent the outbreak of another war. It ultimately failed to protect the peace in the 1930s, and arguably contributed to the outbreak of the Second World War.

How did the League of Nations' failure in the Manchurian Crisis contribute to the start of the Second World War?

The failure of the League over Manchuria in 1931 showed Japan and other aggressive countries that it couldn't stop them without the US or the USSR. Even when the USSR joined in 1934, it showed little concern over aggression.

How did the League of Nations' failures in the Abyssinian Crisis contribute to the start of the Second World War?

Between the League's response to the Abyssinian Crisis and the Hoare-Laval Pact, it seemed ineffective and untrustworthy. Hitler and Mussolini were both encouraged to pursue an aggressive foreign policy.

How did the failures of the League of Nations affect rearmament?

The League's policy of disarmament complicated the relationships between countries and their military strength.

• ❖ The presence of the League gave countries such as Britain and France an excuse to avoid spending on arms during the Depression. This meant their armies were underfunded and weak.
• ❖ The League also failed to successfully disarm other members at the World Disarmament Conference held from 1932 to 1934.
• ❖ Some countries began rearming during the Depression as a way of providing alternative jobs for unemployed workers.

How did the failures of the League of Nations lead to appeasement?

Once the League had failed, Britain and France needed to buy time to rearm. They adopted a policy of appeasement to avoid war with Germany while they built up their military strength.