Weaknesses of the League of Nations (Cambridge (CIE) IGCSE History)
Revision Note
The Issues of Membership
The League of Nations went against Wilson’s vision
Wilson wanted all nations to become members of the League
He wanted the League to work together to improve the world
Who Could Become Members of the League of Nations?
What Stopped the USA from Joining the League of Nations?
The idea of the League of Nations was unpopular in the US
Many US citizens did not want the USA to join the First World War
US politicians were isolationists
They believed that the League would drag them into European conflicts
Americans did not want to help European nations:
In a war that caused casualties like the First World War
Maintain their empires
Many Americans were against the idea of empires (anti-imperialist)
Some Americans had German ancestry
There was mass emigration from Europe to the US before 1914
German immigrants felt sorry for Germany after the Treaty of Versailles
By supporting the League of Nations, Americans would be condoning the treaty
US businesses feared the League’s impact on trade
If the League placed sanctions on the USA, it would affect their ability to export
Wilson became too ill to run for re-election in 1920
Wilson undertook a 27-day train journey to win public support for the Versailles Settlement and the League of Nations
When he returned to Washington, he suffered a stroke
The Republican candidate, Warren Harding, campaigned aggressively against the League of Nations
The Senate voted twice on the Treaty of Versailles and US membership to the League of Nations between November 1919 and March 1920
Wilson failed both times to get the Senate’s ratification of the bill
The public elected Harding as president in 1921
The Structure of the League of Nations
Contemporary critics argued that the structure of the League was its biggest weakness
Strengths and Weaknesses of the League’s Structure
Body | Strengths | Weaknesses |
|---|---|---|
Assembly | All members had one vote. This avoided the issue of one country dominating the assembly |
|
Council | Met five times a year They had three options for response:
Made quicker decisions than the Assembly |
|
Secretariat | Talented experts in multiple fields worked together in the Secretariat | Expensive Grew too large as the League expanded its role |
Permanent Court of International Justice | Well-respected in multiple countries Member states contributed legal experts to this body | Could not enforce its judgements |
Worked Example
What methods could the League of Nations use to deal with international disputes
4 marks
Answers:
The Council could use verbal moral disapproval for less serious actions (1). The League could bring the two sides together for talks (1). If a permanent member had an issue with another member, it could veto its decisions in the Council (1). In serious cases, the League could ask its members to contribute to an army and use force to resolve a dispute (1).
Examiner Tip
This style of question does not require you to explain your answer. The Cambridge IGCSE gives you a point for each relevant piece of information that you write. Therefore, do not spend any additional time trying to describe or explain each reason.
Why was the League's Failure Inevitable?
The absence of the USA weakened the League
The League did not have one of the most powerful countries in the world as a member
The USA could ignore any economic sanctions or military decisions made by the Council
World leaders had different ideas about what the role of the League was
Wilson believed that the League:
Would work like an international parliament
Should prioritise solving world issues rather than national issues
Lloyd George (British Prime Minister) believed that the League:
Should only meet in emergencies
Could help Britain build its empire using mandates
Clemenceau (French Prime Minister) believed that the League:
Should protect France from invasion
Should have a large army
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