Failure of the League

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Failure of the League

• The crisis over Abyssinia
• 1935 - 37

By Mr Osbornewww.SchoolHistory.co.uk
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(No Transcript)
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Background to events

• Abyssinia An independent country ruled by Haile
  Selassie, the only independent black country in
  Africa. In 1896 its army had defeated an Italian
  invasion.
• Mussolini Fascist dictator of Italy, was
  determined to build an Empire. He also wanted
  revenge for defeat of 1896.

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Timeline of Events

• December 1934 - Italian troops provoke a clash at
  Wal Wal
• October 1935 - Italian invasion begins
• December 1935 - Britain and France produce
  Hoare-Laval Plan. Large parts of Abyssinia to be
  given to Italy in return for Italian withdrawal.
  Public outcry- plan abandoned
• May 1936 Italian conquest complete

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The League actions and results

• Dec 1934 offers arbitration
• Rejected by Italy
• Jan-Feb 1935 debates its response
• no further action
• May-Sept sets up a five power commission
• Abyssinia rejects proposals
• Oct 1935 Italy condemned limited economic
  sanctions imposed

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The League actions and results

• March 1936 - Oil embargo threatened
• No impact Italy complete conquest. Hitler noted
  weakness of the League and remilitarize the
  Rhineland (March 1936)
• June 1936 - Haile Selassie addressed Assembly of
  League calling for help
• No additional action by League

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The League actions and results

• July 1936 - sanctions against Italy abandoned
• Italy - Kept Abyssinia
• Became allied with Germany
• Left the Stresa Front
• Left the League (1937)

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Why did the League Fail?

• Britain and France were unwilling to take a lead
  they feared Italian action against their
  interests in the area
• Also wanted to keep Mussolini in the Stresa Front
  to contain the threat posed by Hitler.
• The Hoare-Laval Plan discredited and weakened the
  League

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Long Term Results

• Countries lost faith in the League
• Countries started to form secret alliances
• Countries started to rearm.

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Aims of the Treaty of Versailles
Guilt - find some one to blame Armed forces to be
dealt with Reparations - who has to pay German
territories - what to do LEague of Nations to be
formed
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German reaction to Treaty of Versailles
Unrepresented Not allowed to join League of
Nations Forced to accept terms - diktat Angry
with armed forces reductions Injustice - War
guilt, loss of land etc Reparations - set to high

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Why the L of N failed
French and British self interest Absent powers -
USA Ineffective sanctions Lack of an armed
force Unfair treaty Reaching decisions too
slowly European club, everyone had to agree
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The steps to war 1936 - 39
Civil War in Spain Re-occupation of the
Rhineland Anschluss with Austria Sudetenland
crisis Hitler takes over rest of
Czechoslovakia Italy and Germany form pact of
Steal Nazi-Soviet Pact Germany invades Poland