League of the Nations

League Of The Nations

Introduction

The League of Nations was an international organization, headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland. It created after the First World War on January 10, 1920, at the initiative of the victorious Allied powers of WW I. it provide a forum for resolving international disputes, Issues and problems through negotiations and discussions. It was the one of point of fourteen points of President Woodrow Wilson for an equitable peace in Europe, but USA did not its member after its formation. League would like a world parliament where nations sort out their arguments.

Powers Of The League

·         Covenant:  All members had promised and obliged to keep peace according to article 10 of covenant

·         Condemnation: The leagues have authority to condemn any wrong doing of states either at global level or at the platform of its assembly  

·         Arbitration: League has authority to decide issues, disputes, and problems among nations

·         Sanctions: League has authority to implement sanctions on any state against its violation of covenant of league or international law. Sanctions may be economic, military or social boycott.  

Aims And Objectives Of Organization

·         To stop wars and make world a better place to live

·         To improve peoples’  lives and create jobs, improve public health and to end slavery

·         To disarmament

·         To enforce treaty of versaills

Organizational Structure

·         Secretariat: permanent civil service of the league which carried out decisions taken by the council

·         Assembly: All nations are equal, one country one vote. Decision took unanimously. It met once a year

·         Council of the League: super powers would be its members and took major decisions of the world.

·         Permanent Court of Justice: For the settlement of International disputes. 15 judges met at Hague in Netherlands

·         International Labor organization: each member nation sent two government ministers, one employer and one worker for discussing working conditions in states for the improvement of working conditions. 

·         Special commissions

o   Drug addiction

o   Health

o   Minorities

o   Refugees

o   Women

o   Slavery

o   Mandates

o   Help for underdeveloped nations

o   Economic and Financial Organization

o   Transit, Transport and Communications

o   International Committee on Intellectual Cooperation

o   Permanent Central Opium Board

o   Advisory Committee on the Traffic in Women and Children

o   Disarmament Commission

o   Committee for the Study of the Legal Status of Women

Why League Of The Nations Failed?

The league died in 1935. On day it was a powerful body imposing sanctions, the next day I was a useless fraud, everybody running away from it as quietly as possible. Hitler watched. (AJP Taylor 1966)

·         The absence of world super power to join the league seriously damages its authority to deal with international issues. Congress of USA did not approve Wilson’s proposal for the formation of League.

·         The defeated power of WWI were not consulted and invited regarding formation and joining of the League of the Nations.

·         The idealism of Wilson and his belief on cooperation among nations were not shared by the cynical and worldly wise European nations. UK favor League just to make Wilson’s pleasure, France agreed on the basis of Additional security benefits against Germany.

·         The organization structure of league was muddle.

·         League failed to resolve international disputes like;

o   In Greek, an Italian officer was killed who was there for some official duty of the League. In return Mussolini attack and capture the important place of Greek. i.e. Corfu in 1923. In reply of this action Greek went to League for resolution of matter. League ordered Italy to withdraw from Corfu but Mussolini refused. In return League tried to persuade the Greek to pay compensation and apologize from Italy. Greek did as Mussolini demanded. After that Italy left Corfu.

o   Poland ignored the league’s decision when it took some places form Russia.

o   Kellogg Briand Pact 1928 in which sixty five nations signed the treaty to end, indicate the ignorance of league in which such a large number of nations signed a treaty without participation of league.

o   When Germany refused to pay reparation, France and UK attacked Germany and made them to pay. League did nothing in this case too

o   The depression of 1930 affected a lot globally. Japan tried to overcome economic pressure by building and empire. So in 1932, Japan invaded Manchuria, china, and established its own government there. League took two years to think about this issue and ordered Japan to withdraw its forces from Manchuria, but Japan left league and ignored its decision.

o   In 1935 Abyssinia, Ethiopia, was conquered by Italy. Even though league put sanctions on Italy in the form of rubber and metal trade and banned weapons sales to Italy. But on the other hand secretly France and Britain already handed over the Abyssinia to Italy.

o   People build lack of thrust on league, ignore it and focused on their internal problem instead of world peace. Even its main powers Italy and Japan ignored the decisions of the league.

Weaknesses Of The League

At the time of its formation league had 40 members which grew to 60 in 1930s. All defeated nations were excluded from the league at first but Germany joined in 1926 and left in 1933 due to Hitler. Other nations refused to accept Russian’s communist government, so it was also excluded. But in 1934 it was finally admitted the league. Italy and Japan left league subsequently. UK considered league as a harmless talking shop but did not want to give it real authority or power to overcome the British hegemony and global power as an imperial. France wanted to enforce peace treaties by the league only but not disarmament and other security issues which harm its position. Its founding nations were Italy, Japan, UK and France who are also violating the covenant of league. Due to lack of its military force league could not enforce its decision.

Success And Achievements

·         First organization in the world in which governments of states worked for collective security and universal peace and harmony.

·         Formation of Disarmament Commission and in 1932 Disarmament Conference was set up. But due to Nazism in Germany and fascism in Italy this effort was jeopardized which led France to armament to counter these threats.

·         League successfully resolve these issues like, Some Greek soldiers were killed in a small fight on the border of Bulgaria Greek. In return Greece invaded Bulgaria. League condemned Greece and order to leave Bulgaria which was accepted by Italy. In this incidence Bulgaria did not use its military force against Greece in 1925.

·         League freed approximately 200,000 slaves from Africa and Greece

·         Half a million prisoners of war brought back by league

·         League closed four big companies of drug production

·         League set up camps and fed Turkish refugees in 1922

·         League sent economic experts to Austria and Hungary for revival of economy as both the nations went to bankrupt if did not took decision timely.

·         League worked to prevent malaria and leprosy