U2 Part 2 - League of Nations 1930s

UNIT 2 (II) - THE LEAGUE OF NATIONS IN THE 1930S

Y9 -IGCSE HISTORY

A. THE IMPACT OF THE GREAT DEPRESSION

When the Wall Street Crash happened in the USA in October 1929 it soon began what became known as the Great Depression. This was a serious economic crisis which affected almost the entire world, and led to widespread unemployment and social suffering. It also contributed to the emergence of extreme political parties in many countries. Italy had already become a Fascist dictatorship before 1929, but both Japan and Germany came under the control of extreme nationalist and dictatorial governments during the early 1930s. Yet all three countries at first remained members of the League. These governments increasingly turned to aggressive foreign policies in an attempt to solve their economic problems at the expense of other countries. At the same time, other countries tended to put their own economic interests first -even if they were members of the League. This meant many were reluctant to impose economic sanctions on an aggressive country in case they lost trade to their foreign competitors.

The USA and isolationism The response of the USA in this period was to become even more isolationist than it had been in the 1920s. This trend continued under Roosevelt, whose main concern was to push through his New Deal policies. Some American politicians even said that the USA should remain neutral if another war broke out in Europe. One result of this was that Britain and France, both of which also suffered from the Depression, were reluctant to risk any conflict, in case they had to fight on their own. The one other non-member country which could have strengthened the League of Nations’ ability to curb aggressive actions, was the Soviet Union. But Britain and France did not trust its Communist government, even after Stalin successfully applied for membership of the League in 1934.

TASK A1 Look up for extra information (internet, books, etc.) in order to explain in your own words the following statements related to the effects of the Great Depression: a) The USA became more isolationist and did little to stop Hitler and Mussolini b) The British government became less willing to fight a war in Europe.

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UNIT 2 (II) - THE LEAGUE OF NATIONS IN THE 1930S

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B. THE FAILURES OF THE LEAGUE OF NATIONS THE WEAKNESSES OF THE LEAGUE OF NATIONS Although the League had had some successes in the 1920s, it had often been unable to deal effectively with disputes which involved the more powerful countries. This had been seen, for example, as early as 1923, when the League failed to prevent aggression in two separate instances. These were France's invasion of the Ruhr, and Italy's invasion of Corfu. An additional weakness was the fact that, by 1929, two significant countries were still not members of the League. These were the USA and the Soviet Union. On top of this, was the fact Britain and France, its two most important members, often had conflicting policies. Conflicts were, thus, frequently settled outside the League for instance by the Conference of Ambassadors.

TASK AB – MAKING RELATIONS Read again the information on page 1 and 2 (diagrams included) and answer: - How did the effects of the Great Depression lead to increased international tensions?

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UNIT 2 (II) - THE LEAGUE OF NATIONS IN THE 1930S

Y9 -IGCSE HISTORY

B1. MANCHURIAN CRISIS THE RISE OF JAPAN The first country to take aggressive action following the Wall Street Crash was Japan. During the early nineteenth century, many Japanese people watched in alarm as the USA and west European countries carved out empires and areas of influence for themselves in Asia. In 1868, angry at growing US interference in Japan, a group of nobles seized control of the government. They were determined that Japan would not lose its independence. The Japanese economy and the armed forces were modernised, and Japan was able to inflict an unexpected defeat on Russia in 1905. From then until 1929, Japan attempted to gain its own empire in Asia, for the same reasons (raw materials and extra markets) as European nations. This, however, was resented by countries such as Britain and France. In the First World War, Japan fought on the side of Britain and France. Although it gained the German possessions in the Pacific after the war, Japan was disappointed not to be given more territory in China by the peace treaties of 1919-20. This led to resentment against Britain, France and the USA. JAPAN AND THE DEPRESSION One area of China which was of particular interest to Japan was the northern province of Manchuria. Japanese investments in the area were increased during the 1920s, and a part of the Japanese army was stationed in the province to safeguard these investments. However, Japan was badly hit by the Depression; especially as it was not selfsufficient in coal, iron, oil, tin or rubber. By 1931, 50% of its factories had closed down, while Japan's rice farmers were badly hit. Japan's main export, silk, declined sharply, and Japanese goods in general were hit by trade tariffs. The Japanese army (already a powerful force in Japan by the late 1920s), was linked to the Zaibatsu (large industrial companies with links to the Japanese army), which also pressed for a more aggressive foreign policy. The army increasingly dominated or ignored the civilian governments of Japan. In 1930, the serious drop in exports caused by the Depression led to a political crisis. This resulted in military factions having a greater influence. Earlier attempts at parliamentary democracy collapsed, as extreme nationalists even resorted to the assassination of liberal political leaders. CRISIS IN MANCHURIA, 1931-1932 The first serious test of the League after 1929 came in 1931, when Japan invaded Manchuria on 18 September. Both Japan and China were members of the League. The Japanese army staged the Mukden (Shenyang) Incident in order to justify sending in a Japanese army of occupation: as the Japanese army controlled the South Manchurian railway, they claimed that the Chinese soldiers had sabotaged this trading route and threw out all Chinese forces. Though the civilian government of Japan tried to get the military to withdraw, the army refused to listen and instead continued their invasion. This Japanese invasion clearly broke the League's collective security

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UNIT 2 (II) - THE LEAGUE OF NATIONS IN THE 1930S

Y9 -IGCSE HISTORY

system. The invasion of Manchuria was also against the Washington Naval Treaty of 1922, by which Japan had promised not to attack China. THE LEAGUE'S REACTION The League did set up the Lytton Commission of Enquiry (on Japan's suggestion) in December 1931 to investigate the situation. This committee did not report until October 1932. By then, Japan had been in complete control of Manchuria for nearly a year, and had renamed it Manchukuo. The report did not recommend either economic or military sanctions. The League accepted the report, agreeing that Japanese claims were valid, but that Japan was wrong to have used force and should, therefore, withdraw its troops. Japan then simply left the League in February 1933. WHY DID THE LEAGUE FAIL TO ACT? The Manchurian Crisis occurred during 1931-1932, when the Depression was at its peak. European countries –and the USAwere thus more concerned with the problems created by the Depression. The USA had much trade with Japan, and was reluctant to get involved in the conflict between China and Japan. Despite growing disagreements with Japan, the USA refused to consider the idea of economic sanctions. As a result, most League members feared any trade ban imposed on Japan would merely result in losing that trade to the USA. In addition to trade concerns, Britain was worried that a conflict with Japan might endanger British colonies in Asia, such as India, Hong Kong and Singapore. Although France was concerned that its colony of Indo-China might be at risk from Japanese aggression, it was more worried about German intentions. Italy was not interested in Asia and, more importantly, because of the effects of the Depression, was already planning to increase its own empire. The other important non-League member, the USSR, saw Japan' aggression as a threat to its Asian territories, and was willing to act. However, no west European state was prepared to co-operate with Stalin in any military action. The Soviet Union, on the other hand, was not prepared to risk any intervention on its own.

TASK B1 – SOURCE ANALYSIS Read the following source:

Source: Gaetano Salvemini was an Italian historian. Writing in 1954 he described Western attitudes towards the crisis in Manchuria. “In the Far Eastern crisis of 1931 and the following years, Japan and China, owing to their great distance from Europe, might as well have been on the moon. If a man sees a cat crushed under a car, he loses his appetite; yet the same man can calmly eat his breakfast while reading in his morning paper that thousands of men, women and children have been engulfed in some terrible earthquake. The Japanese Government could count on the ignorance of people too busy with difficulties at home to be bothered about events in remote lands. People’s minds in both America and Europe were with the economic depression that had started in 1929 and was at its worst in 1931-32.” a) Explain briefly in your own words what this interpretation says about why no other country was ready to stop Japan taking over Manchuria. b) Does the information given on the section “Why did the League fail to act?” support the interpretation in the source, or does it suggest additional reasons why Japan was not stopped?

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UNIT 2 (II) - THE LEAGUE OF NATIONS IN THE 1930S

Y9 -IGCSE HISTORY

B2. THE WORLD DISARMAMENT CONFERENCE, 1932-34 This Conference, organised by the League, failed to agree limits on weapons. It was attended by 61 member nations, and 5 non-members, including both the USA and the USSR. France again unsuccessfully attempted to give the League its own army. The main problem, however, was over disarmament and Germany's insistence on ‘equality of treatment’. In 1932, German delegates walked out of the Conference, and said they would not return until they had been granted ‘equality of treatment’. After Hitler became Chancellor of Germany in January 1933, Germany left the Conference for good. In October, Hitler took Germany out of the League. By this stage, all the powers knew that Hitler was secretly rearming Germany already. They also began to rebuild their own armaments; in part, it was seen as a way of reducing unemployment and stopping industrial decline. Against that background the Disarmament Conference struggled on for another year but in an atmosphere of increasing futility. It finally ended in 1934. TASK B2 – SOURCE ANALYSIS Look at the Source below. Explain what Low is saying about: a) ordinary people b) political leaders. SOURCE: A cartoon by David Low commenting on the failure of the Disarmament Conference in 1934

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UNIT 2 (II) - THE LEAGUE OF NATIONS IN THE 1930S

Y9 -IGCSE HISTORY

B3. THE INVASION OF ABYSSINIA, 1935 Mussolini was so encouraged by the lack of effective League action during the Manchurian Crisis that, from 1932, he began detailed planning for the conquest of Abyssinia. In October 1935, Italy THE STRESA FRONT invaded Abyssinia (now known as France and Britain were keen to stop Italy joining forces Ethiopia). This was the first serious with Germany. They seemed ready to give Italy a free act of aggression by a major hand in Africa. April 1935 Mussolini met the French and European power since 1920. Haile British prime ministers in the Italian town of Stresa. They Selassie, the Emperor of Abyssinia, condemned German breaches of the Treaty of Versailles. appealed to the League for help. People began to talk about the Stresa Front: an antiThe British Foreign German grouping of Italy, Britain and France. The Stresa Secretary, Hoare, asked the League agreement was vague: the declaration talked only about to impose economic sanctions on the need to ‘keep the peace in Europe’ Mussolini Italy. However, oil was not understood this to mean that France and Britain would not included in the list of banned object to the Italian use of force outside Europe. Mussolini goods, and was allowed to pass thought that in return for supporting France and Britain in through the British and FrenchEurope he would be allowed to attack Abyssinia without owned Suez Canal, to the Italian any interference. invasion force. In addition, many non-League members continued to trade with Italy. One reason why Britain and France were reluctant to take strong action against Italy was that the three countries had, earlier in 1935, formed the Stresa Front. This was meant to act as a check on Hitler's foreign policy actions. THE HOARE-LAVAL PACT Instead of effective action, Britain and France drew up the secret Hoare-Laval Pact, which offered Italy the bulk of Abyssinia. However, it was leaked to the Press. Hoare was forced to resign and the plan was dropped. The League, now supported by Britain and France, began to take a tougher line. In March 1936, they decided to ban the sale of oil and petrol to Italy. However, this did not fully come into effect until May 1936. By then, the Italian conquest was complete: the League had been shown in a bad light and, once again, had failed to take strong action to stop aggression. In July 1936, all sanctions against Italy were ended. AFTER ABYSSINIA The League of Nations was broken by the Abyssinian crisis. Afterwards no one took it seriously. The failure of the League was highlighted by Hailie Selassie, the Abyssinian emperor, who made a passionate speech to the League Assembly after his country had been conquered: “On many occasions I have asked for financial assistance for the purchase of arms [to fight Italian aggression]. That assistance has been constantly refused me. The problem is a much wider one than that of Italy’s aggression. It is the very existence of the League of Nations. God and history will remember your judgement.”

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UNIT 2 (II) - THE LEAGUE OF NATIONS IN THE 1930S

Y9 -IGCSE HISTORY

In the crises that followed Abyssinia, the League was completely helpless. When the Spanish Civil War broke out in 1936 Germany and Italy sent help to the antigovernment side. The Spanish government appealed to the League: the League did nothing. In 1938-39, as the Second World War drew close, the League played no part in serious attempts to avoid conflict. When war broke out in September 1939 none of the countries involved bothered to tell the League that a war was taking place. GERMANY AND ABYSSINIA Hitler was deeply interested in the crisis in Abyssinia. He wanted to know how far Britain and France would go to stop the Italians. He was not impressed at the confused and feeble response of the democracies. In fact, he was able to take advantage and got several benefits of the Abyssinian crisis: - The League was unlikely to stop German aggression any more than it had stopped Mussolini. - The anti-German Stresa Front fell apart. - The crisis provided Hitler with an opportunity for his first act of aggression: the sending of German troops into the Rhineland area. - The Rome-Berlin Axis and the Anti-Comintern Pact strengthened the position of Hitler. THE FALL OF THE STRESA FRONT After Abyssinia the British and French governments hoped to reestablish a good relationship with Italy. Mussolini had different ideas. He had been annoyed by what he saw as British and French double dealing. Instead he turned to Hitler. The German leader had not interfered over Abyssinia. In January 1936 Mussolini thanked Hitler and made it clear that he was happy for an increase in German control over Austria. This was a significant development. In 1934 Mussolini had opposed German expansionism towards Austria. The Stresa Front against Germany had collapsed.

THE ANGLO-GERMAN NAVAL AGREEMENT The British government also greatly weakened the Stresa Front in June 1935. Britain signed a treaty with Germany over the strength of their navies. This fixed the size of the German navy it 35 per cent of the British navy. The agreement allowed Germany to have submarines. The French and the Italians were annoyed by the Naval Agreement. They had not been consulted and the agreement was in breach of the Versailles Treaty.

The Axis and the Anti-Comintern Pact By November Mussolini was talking of a new force in European politics –a linking together of the fascist states of Italy and Germany called the Rome-Berlin Axis. Later in the same month the leaders of Germany, Italy and Japan signed the Anti-Comintern Pact (Comintern was the Soviet organisation whose job was to spread communis worldwide). On one level the Anti-Comintern Pact was simply an agreement to work together against communism. As far as Hitler was concerned it was much more important than that; it was a step towards an alliance of those countries that wanted to take land off their neighbours.

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UNIT 2 (II) - THE LEAGUE OF NATIONS IN THE 1930S

Y9 -IGCSE HISTORY

FOCUS TASK - Why did the League of Nations fail in the 1930s? This diagram summarises the reasons historians give for the failure of the League.

1. Which of these weaknesses in the League of Nations do you think was the most important factor in: a) the Manchurian crisis b) the failure of disarmament c) the Abyssinian crisis? 2. Explain whether you agree or disagree with this statement: ‘The League failed in the 1930s simply because it faced greater challenges than it had faced in the 1920s.’

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