The League of Nations & the Manchurian Crisis (AQA GCSE History)
Revision Note
How significant was the Manchurian Crisis to the collapse of the League of Nations? - Timeline & Summary
The Manchurian Crisis of 1931 was a significant event that contributed to the collapse of the League of Nations. China appealed to the League of Nations for help, expecting the League to take action against Japan's aggression. However, the League took over a year to investigate and issue a report condemning Japan's actions. Japan simply ignored the League's condemnation and withdrew from the organisation. This showed that the League had little real power to enforce its decisions.
The failure of the League to handle the Manchurian Crisis showed the world that it was unable to stop aggressive actions by powerful nations. This encouraged other countries to act similarly. For instance, Italy and Germany pursued their own aggressive foreign policy without fear of significant repercussions from the League. The inability to prevent or punish Japan's invasion undermined the League's credibility and authority.
The Manchurian Crisis highlighted the limitations of the League's structure and decision-making processes. The League required unanimous agreement from its members to take action, which was difficult to achieve. Major powers like Britain and France were reluctant to impose sanctions or take military action against Japan. They feared that sanctions would harm their own economic interests and lead to further conflict. This lack of decisive action and unity among member nations contributed to its eventual collapse.
Causes of the Manchurian Crisis
Manchuria was a province of China
It bordered Korea, which Japan owned from 1905
It was mostly agricultural land
By March 1932, Japan invaded and controlled the whole of Manchuria
Exam Tip
In your revision, it is helpful to consider the ‘push’ and ‘pull’ factors behind certain events. ‘Push’ factors are events or motivations for someone to act. The Depression caused the Japanese economy to fail due to the country’s lack of natural resources. This ‘pushed’ Japan to invade Manchuria. ‘Pull’ factors are benefits from performing an action. Japan already owned the South Manchurian Railway and other businesses in Manchuria. This ‘pulled’ Japan to invade Manchuria as they already had a way of moving around the country. Considering the ‘push’ and ‘pull’ factors will help you to explain why Japan invaded Manchuria and how this affected the League of Nations.
Events of the Manchurian Crisis
Consequences of the Manchurian Crisis
The League of Nations looked weak
The League considered the Lytton Report in February 1933, 18 months after Japan had invaded Manchuria
This was too slow to react to a crisis of this scale
Britain and France did not want to stand up against Japan
Japan was a permanent member of the League
Japan had equal power to Britain and France to veto any actions
Britain and France had colonies in the Far East
If the League started a war with Japan, it would affect Britain and France’s imperial trade
The League did not have key countries as members
The USA would have the military strength to stand up against Japan
In addition, the US was Japan’s key trading partner
The USSR did not want Japan to invade closer to its territory and would use force to stop this
The League’s lack of reaction encouraged further aggression
Germany and Italy were also looking to expand their territories
Hitler and Mussolini knew now that the League would not stop them from achieving their aggressive foreign policy aims
Worked Example
Source A is critical of Japan’s actions in Manchuria. How do you know?
[4 marks]
Source A: An American cartoon created in 1932 and republished in the Pittsburgh Press in 1933. The Nine-Power Treaty of 1922 recognised the territorial integrity of China
Answer:
Source A is critical of Japan’s actions in Manchuria because it shows Japan as aggressive (1). The source shows Japan setting fire to various League of Nations treaties such as the Nine-Power Treaty (1922), which protected Chinese territory. Japan invaded Manchuria illegally through the Mukden Incident in 1931 but had captured the whole of Manchuria from China by March 1932. Therefore, the source shows that Japan was acting violently and wanted to destroy China’s hold on Manchuria (1).
Another reason why the source is critical of Japan’s actions is because of the author. The source was created for an American audience. The USA was unable to join the League of Nations because the US Senate failed to ratify the Treaty of Versailles on two occasions. As a non-member, there was little that the USA could or wanted to do to stop Japan’s actions in Manchuria. Therefore, the source was critical because the cartoonist wanted to put public pressure on the League to stand up against Japan’s aggressive actions (1).
Exam Tip
This question asks you ‘How do you know.’ You must apply your knowledge to this question. If you do not include knowledge in this question you cannot achieve a Level 2 (3 - 4 marks).
For further guidance on this question, you can read this revision note on how to answer the 4-mark “How do you know” question.
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