Main aim = stop wars. In 1920s, League settled small disputes:
1. Teschen, 1920 – Poland vs Czechoslovakia (coal-rich). League split area. Neither happy, but accepted & stopped fighting.
2. Islands, 1921 – Sweden vs Finland. League awarded to Finland. Both agreed.
3. Upper , 1921 – Germany vs Poland (coal-rich). League held plebiscite → partition. Both agreed.
4. , 1925 (Stray Dog War) – Greek Captain shot retrieving dog → Greece invaded Bulgaria. Bulgaria appealed to League. League ordered Greece to withdraw. They did, but complained.
5. Iraq, 1926 – Turkey wanted Mosul (oil-rich, British mandate). League sided w/ Iraq/Britain. Turkey agreed (Treaty of Ankara). Britain gave Turkey share in oil.
Failures of the League
1. , 1920 – Poland invaded Lithuanian capital. League tried to resolve, but Poland took land anyway. Conference of Ambassadors later gave it to Poland.
2. Invasion of the Ruhr, 1923 – French & Belgian troops invaded after Germany failed to pay reparations. League ignored. Britain & US disagreed w/ invasion.
3. Memel, 1923 – Lithuania seized German port under League control. League ordered withdrawal, but Conference of Ambassadors gave it to Lithuania.
4. , 1923 – Italian Gen. Tellini murdered in Greece. Italy invaded Corfu. League ordered withdrawal, but Conference of Ambassadors overruled League → Italy stayed, Greece had to pay compensation. Greece complained of double standards.
5. Other Agreements – Countries relied on separate treaties, not League:
◦ Washington Treaty, 1921 – Naval agreement (USA, Britain, Japan).
◦ Plan, 1924 – US/Britain restructured German reparations, gave Germany loan.
◦ Pact, 1925 – Germany agreed to respect Versailles Treaty → allowed to join League. Hailed as peace victory, but agreed outside League.
◦ Pact, 1928 – 65 nations renounced war, but ignored it.
◦ Plan, 1929 – Further reduced German reparations, another US loan.
6. Bolivia, 1928 – Chaco War (Bolivia vs Paraguay). Paraguay appealed to League, but Bolivia refused to comply. US brokered ceasefire, but war broke out in 1932.
The League's Other Work in the 1920s
Besides stopping wars, League aimed to:
• Improve lives/jobs
• Disarmament
• Enforce Versailles (esp. reparations)
Historians argue League failed at stopping war but had success elsewhere
a. Disarmament
League set up Commission → 1932 Conference, but failed (Germany demanded arms equality).
b. Reparations (1921)
Germany refused to pay → France & Britain invaded & forced payment (as per Versailles).
c. I (ILO)
Regulated/improved labour conditions. Passed conventions on minimum wages/social insurance. Failed to enforce 48-hour week. Still exists today.
d. (PCIJ)
Made rulings on Versailles & international law. Still exists as International Court of Justice.
Main aim = stop wars. In 1920s, League settled small disputes:
1. Teschen, 1920 – Poland vs Czechoslovakia (coal-rich). League split area. Neither happy, but accepted & stopped fighting.
2. AALAND Islands, 1921 – Sweden vs Finland. League awarded to Finland. Both agreed.
3. Upper SILESIA, 1921 – Germany vs Poland (coal-rich). League held plebiscite → partition. Both agreed.
4. BULGARIA, 1925 (Stray Dog War) – Greek Captain shot retrieving dog → Greece invaded Bulgaria. Bulgaria appealed to League. League ordered Greece to withdraw. They did, but complained.
5. Iraq, 1926 – Turkey wanted Mosul (oil-rich, British mandate). League sided w/ Iraq/Britain. Turkey agreed (Treaty of Ankara). Britain gave Turkey share in oil.
Failures of the League
1. VILNA, 1920 – Poland invaded Lithuanian capital. League tried to resolve, but Poland took land anyway. Conference of Ambassadors later gave it to Poland.
2. Invasion of the Ruhr, 1923 – French & Belgian troops invaded after Germany failed to pay reparations. League ignored. Britain & US disagreed w/ invasion.
3. Memel, 1923 – Lithuania seized German port under League control. League ordered withdrawal, but Conference of Ambassadors gave it to Lithuania.
4. CORFU, 1923 – Italian Gen. Tellini murdered in Greece. Italy invaded Corfu. League ordered withdrawal, but Conference of Ambassadors overruled League → Italy stayed, Greece had to pay compensation. Greece complained of double standards.
5. Other Agreements – Countries relied on separate treaties, not League:
◦ Washington Treaty, 1921 – Naval agreement (USA, Britain, Japan).
◦ DAWES Plan, 1924 – US/Britain restructured German reparations, gave Germany loan.
◦ LOCARNO Pact, 1925 – Germany agreed to respect Versailles Treaty → allowed to join League. Hailed as peace victory, but agreed outside League.
◦ KELLOGG-BRIAND Pact, 1928 – 65 nations renounced war, but ignored it.
◦ YOUNG Plan, 1929 – Further reduced German reparations, another US loan.
6. Bolivia, 1928 – Chaco War (Bolivia vs Paraguay). Paraguay appealed to League, but Bolivia refused to comply. US brokered ceasefire, but war broke out in 1932.
The League's Other Work in the 1920s
Besides stopping wars, League aimed to:
• Improve lives/jobs
• Disarmament
• Enforce Versailles (esp. reparations)
Historians argue League failed at stopping war but had success elsewhere
a. Disarmament
League set up Commission → 1932 DISARMAMENT Conference, but failed (Germany demanded arms equality).
b. Reparations (1921)
Germany refused to pay → France & Britain invaded & forced payment (as per Versailles).
c. INTERNATIONAL LABOUR ORGANISATION (ILO)
Regulated/improved labour conditions. Passed conventions on minimum wages/social insurance. Failed to enforce 48-hour week. Still exists today.
d. PERMANENT COURT OF INTERNATIONAL JUSTICE (PCIJ)
Made rulings on Versailles & international law. Still exists as International Court of Justice.
