A History 12 lesson covering the League and the Treaty of Versailles. Some American political cartoons are included at the end.

1. The
League of
Nations:
J. Marshall 2013

2. Collective Security
• New world order: “to make the world
safe for democracy.”
• 14 Points: “guarantees of political
independence and territorial integrity to great
and small states alike.”
Wilson insisted the Covenant be in
all five Paris peace treaties

3. 3 Goals
• International cooperation: meet in
an assembly
• Arbitration: submit disputes to 3rd
party
• Collective security: sanctions vs.
force

4. Article 10 Article 12 Article 16
to stop external
aggression and
respect territorial
integrity and
existing
independence of
all members
NO
INTERFERENCE
if worry of war,
members agree
to arbitration OR
enquiry of
disputes + no
war until 3
months after
Council’s
decision
COOLING OFF
war on one is war
on all and all will
cut off trade and
commerce with
offender.
SANCTIONS AS
ENFORCEMENT

5. MEMBERSHIP
• 1919 Allies (incl. Japan) +
Dominions and India =
original members
• 1926 + GeGermrmanyany (leaves 1933)
• 1933 JaJappanan leaves
• 1934 + UUSSRSSR (expelled 1940)
• UUSSAA never joined

6. Successes Failures
• Supervised Saar for 15
years
• Managed Danzig for 15
years
• 1921 settled
Sweden/Finland dispute
over Aland Islands
• 1923 settled Greece/Italy
dispute over Island of Corfu
• 1925 settled possible
Greece/Bulgaria war
• Internation Labour Office
improved child labour, min.
wages, working hours
• Mandatory powers usually
unwilling to give up
control/disallowed League
inspection
• World Court could be opted
out
• Countries left rather than
comply
• Collective security lacked
“bite”
Ex. Manchuria 1931
Abyssinia 1935

7. Reparation Adjustments
Dawes Plan 1924 Young Plan 1930
5-point plan:
•Allies out of Rhur
•Germany to pedge
govt $ to reparations
•Payments start low
but get higher
•Payments still tied to
German prosparity
•Foreign loan to get
Germany started
Reduction
•Total cut from $33 to
$29 billion
•Occupation of DMZ to
end
*** This was carried
out and the Allies lost
their pressure point
with Germany
***In 1932 Germany
defaulted; Hitler
cancelled payments
1937.

8. • Russia no longer an ally
• USA isolationist
• British becoming revisionist
• Keep Germany weak: 1923 occupation of Rhur
• Maginot Line
• Treaties of mutual assistance:
a) Belgium 1920,
b) Poland 1921,
c) Little Entente: Czech. 1924
Rumania 1926
Yugoslav. 1927

9. Other efforts at peace
• Locarno Pact, 1925 (guarantee borders)
• Kellogg-Briand Pact, 1928 (denounce war)
• Washington Conf., 1921 (restrict size of navies)
• London Conference, 1930 (…navies)
• Geneva Disarm. Conf., 1932 (arms reductions)
disarmament

10. The
Arguments

13.
3. Isolationism
-The League suggested America was promising to
send its troops to settle every little conflict around
the world. Americans had been appalled at the
carnage of the First World War.
-Should America be dragged into
such disputes? = NO

15. FlawsFailures
USA did not ratify Paris Peace
Unanimous was vote required to act
Tradition of nationalism/self-
interest
or: old
habits die hard
Failure: Manchuria 1931
(Lytton Commission)
Failure: Abyssinia 1935

16. The League
in Cartoons

18. 1. Why
elephants?
2. Why the
names?
3. What is being
parodied?

19. What clues are given to
identify the characters?
What event, policy or
movement is being
illustrated?
Is the cartoonist trying to
sway your opinion?
Is there any bias?

20. To what cliché is the
cartoonist alluding?
What does the
cartoonist seem to
be saying?
What hints does the
cartoonist give to
ensure the audience
gets the intended
message?

22. This slide seems to
contradict the tone
of the others. How
could that be?

23. Are symbols
used?
How is the
world
divided?
What is the
intended
message?
There are
two clichés
being
parodied; can
you identify
them?

24. What
does this
cartoon
suggest?

25. Where and
when was
this
cartoon
published?