FLASH REVISE CARDS - SUCCESSES LEAGUE OF NATIONS - AALAND ISLANDS 1921.

1. League of Nations – Mr. D’s History – St. Peter’s College, Auckland, New Zealand
SUCCESSES OF THE LEAGUE OF NATIONS
AALAND ISLANDS 1921
The Aaland Islands
The Åaland Island’s dispute was one of the first issues put up for
arbitration by the League of Nations on its formation.
The Åaland Islands' population's demand for self-determination was
not met and sovereignty over the islands was retained by Finland, but
international guarantees were given to allow the population to pursue its
own culture, relieving the threat of forced assimilation by Finnish
culture as perceived by the islanders.
Both Sweden and Finland claimed the islands situated in the middle of
the Baltic Sea.
Most of the islanders wanted to be rule by Sweden.
The League investigated the matter and awarded the islands to Finland,
but with the safeguards for the islanders including demilitarisation.
Sweden accepted the judgment.

2. League of Nations – Mr. D’s History – St. Peter’s College, Auckland, New Zealand
The interrelated difficulties in the relations between Sweden and Finland
were resolved by the mid-1930’s, when the weakened authority of the
League of Nations signalled a much harsher international mood.
The fear of the Åland Islands' falling under the control of Nazi
Germany or the Soviet Union was very real, and that is why Sweden's
Foreign Minister Sandler proposed retaining the status of the islands
despite Sweden's longstanding policy of neutrality.
Detailed defensive plans were made; but in the end, Sweden opted not to
participate in the defence of the islands.
WHAT HAPPENED AFTER THE DECISION WAS MADE?
In 1920, Finland granted wide-reaching cultural and political
autonomy to the Åland Islands.
The League of Nations considered these measures as satisfying
demands to protect the Swedish language and culture there.
During the 20th century, Finnish sovereignty had been perceived as
beneficial, by increasing numbers of the islanders.
Together with disappointment over insufficient support from Sweden in the
League of Nations, Swedish disrespect for Åland's demilitarized
status in the 1930’s, and to some degree a feeling of shared destiny with
Finland during and after World War II, this has resulted in a changed
perception of Åland's relation to Finland: from "a Swedish province in
Finnish possession" to "an autonomous part of Finland".