The League of Nations faced weaknesses due to a lack of key member states like the US and Soviet Russia. It also struggled with taking decisive action against aggressors because it required unanimous decisions and lacked its own military forces. While the concept of collective security through escalating sanctions was promising, the League was often not in a position to follow through due to these structural limitations and competing priorities for member states like Britain and France.

1. CONTENT
LEAGUE OF NATIONS
LEAGUE OF NATIONS
WEAKNESSES/FAILURE
2

2. CAMBRIDGE IGCSE – LEAGUE OF NATIONS – MR. D
MEMBERSHIP

3. CAMBRIDGE IGCSE – LEAGUE OF NATIONS – MR. D
EFFECTIVENESS
The Assembly and the Council would have been more effective in their
operations and influence if they had represented all the major countries
of the world.
This was president Wilson’s intention when he called for a general
assembly of nations, but the League of Nations was never in this
position.

4. CAMBRIDGE IGCSE – LEAGUE OF NATIONS – MR. D
USA
Despite the fact that president Wilson was one of the “parents” of TOV
and LON, America refused to join.
This was because a majority in the American Senate thought that the
League would drag their country into future wars and disputes.
America’s absence was a blow to the prospects of LON as the new
organisation was deprived of the world’s most powerful, influential and
wealthy country.
This affected directly the ability of LON to take action against
aggressive countries and also reduce the prestige of LON.

5. CAMBRIDGE IGCSE – LEAGUE OF NATIONS – MR. D
USA CARTOON
What point is
the cartoonist
making about
the USA in this
cartoon?
Discuss with
your colleagues.
2 minutes.

6. CAMBRIDGE IGCSE – LEAGUE OF NATIONS – MR. D
USA CARTOON EXPLAINED
This cartoon implies that without
America the bridge would collapse.
The bridge represents the League of
Nations, and Uncle Sam, the
personification of America is reluctant
to place the keystone in the bridge to
complete it. This is odd because in the
Treaty of Versailles, it was Woodrow Wilson the president of America that
suggested that the League of Nations as part of his fourteen points. The
missing keystone demonstrates how difficult it will be for the League to
function without having the United States as a member. But it was a
Republican majority in Congress that blocked the USA's entry into the League,
not the President. It is now known that Wilson was very, very ill during vital
periods at Versailles and afterwards and probably lacked the will to win
Congress around.

7. CAMBRIDGE IGCSE – LEAGUE OF NATIONS – MR. D
GERMANY
Germany was not allowed to join LON until it had demonstrated its
peaceful intentions.
Many countries still did not trust Germany.
This had the unfortunate effect of making the League look like a club
for the victorious powers closely associated with TOV.
Germany was allowed to join in 1926 and became a permanent
member of the Council, but its membership was short-lived.
Hitler’s first significant foreign policy actions was to take Germany out
of the League in 1933.

8. CAMBRIDGE IGCSE – LEAGUE OF NATIONS – MR. D
GERMANY CARTOONS
How far does the cartoons agree about the nature of LON? Discuss with the colleague next to you. 3 minutes.

9. CAMBRIDGE IGCSE – LEAGUE OF NATIONS – MR. D
SOVIET RUSSIA
Soviet Russia was not invited to join the League of Nations, mainly
because of the ideological reasons: it was communist and committed to
the overthrow of capitalism.
The Russians also didn’t want to participate because a number of the
members of LON (Britain, France and Japan) assisted and helped the
counter-revolution during the Russian Civil War (1918-1921).
By the late 1920’s, there was more tolerance on both sides and Soviet
Russia joined the League in 1934.
It was expelled in December 1939 following the invasion of Finland.

10. CAMBRIDGE IGCSE – LEAGUE OF NATIONS – MR. D
JAPAN
Japan was one of the original members of the LON but left in 1933
when it received criticism for invading Manchuria.

11. CAMBRIDGE IGCSE – LEAGUE OF NATIONS – MR. D
ITALY
Italy was one of the original members of the League but left in 1933
when it received criticism for invading Manchuria.
Both countries were weakened by the WW1, and they had to shoulder
the responsibility of trying to make the LON work.
Britain was concerned with trying to maintain its empire.
France was primarily concerned with increasing security against
Germany.
LON took second place in the minds of British and French politicians.

12. CAMBRIDGE IGCSE – LEAGUE OF NATIONS – MR. D
BRITAIN AND FRANCE
Both countries were weakened by the WW1, and they had to shoulder
the responsibility of trying to make the LON work.
Britain was concerned with trying to maintain its empire.
France was primarily concerned with increasing security against
Germany.
LON took second place in the minds of British and French politicians.

13. CAMBRIDGE IGCSE – LEAGUE OF NATIONS – MR. D
COLLECTIVE SECURITY

14. CAMBRIDGE IGCSE – LEAGUE OF NATIONS – MR. D
THE CONCEPT OF COLLECTIVE SECURITY
It was intended to maintain peace.
There were three stages that could be followed to stop an aggressive
power.

15. CAMBRIDGE IGCSE – LEAGUE OF NATIONS – MR. D
STAGE 1 - MORAL DISSAPROVAL
Following an act of aggression the Council would meet and vote to
condemn the action.
The aggressive country, knowing that it had the weight of the world
opinion directed against it, might drop its aggressive action.

16. CAMBRIDGE IGCSE – LEAGUE OF NATIONS – MR. D
STAGE 2 – ECONOMIC SANCTIONS
If moral disapproval failed then the council could impose economic
sanctions on the aggressor.
This meant arranging a trade boycott and refusing credit.

17. CAMBRIDGE IGCSE – LEAGUE OF NATIONS – MR. D
STAGE 3 – MILITARY SANCTIONS
If economic sanctions failed then, as a last resort, the council could
impose military sanctions.
This might involve sending an army to assist the victim of the
aggression.

18. CAMBRIDGE IGCSE – LEAGUE OF NATIONS – MR. D
ARTICLE 11 OF THE LON COVENANT
“Any war or threat of war, whether immediately affecting any
of the Members of the League or not, is hereby declared
a matter of concern to the whole League, and the League
shall take any action that may be deemed wise and effectual
to safeguard the peace of nations.”

19. CAMBRIDGE IGCSE – LEAGUE OF NATIONS – MR. D
ACTIVITY – Q & A

20. CAMBRIDGE IGCSE – LEAGUE OF NATIONS – MR. D
ARTICLE 11 OF THE LON COVENANT
Should any Member of the League resort to war in disregard of its
covenants, it shall be deemed to have committed an act of war
against all other Members of the League, which hereby undertake
immediately to subject it to the severance of all trade or financial
relations...
It shall be the duty of the Council in such case to recommend to the
several Governments concerned what effective military, naval or air
force the Members of the League shall severally contribute to the
armed forces to be used to protect the covenants of the League.
DOES THIS SOURCE PROVE THAT THE LEAGUE OF NATIONS WAS
LIKELY TO BE A POWERFUL AND EFFECTIVE ORGANISATION FOR
PRESERVING WORLD PEACE?

21. CAMBRIDGE IGCSE – LEAGUE OF NATIONS – MR. D
UNANIMOUS DECISIONS
All decisions taken by the Assembly or Council had to be unanimous.
This meant that if the Assembly or Council was meeting to vote on
aggressive action by a country, it would take just one negative vote, not
including the negative vote of the aggressor, for the motion to fail.
A majority or even an overwhelming majority was not enough.
This could make it very difficult to take decisive action against a country
that decided to disturb the peace.

22. CAMBRIDGE IGCSE – LEAGUE OF NATIONS – MR. D
LACK OF AN ARMY
The LON didn’t have an army of its own.
The LON didn’t have standing forces to call upon if it wished to impose
military sanctions.
The uncertainty meant that military sanctions could not be enforced.