Early Acts of Appeasement
Failures of the League of Nations – inability to act
USA doesn’t join, Germany joins in 1926 (pulls out in 1933)
Lack of enforcement
Nationalism too strong
•Japan in Manchuria- Japan owns South Manchurian railway
Military operation in 1931 claiming Manchuria (renamed Manchukuo)
1932 League’s Lytton commission decides Japan to leave
Japan quits the league- invades northern China, 1933
League decides this conflict has no effect on Europe- ignores situation
Two men in Europe take notice
•Italy in Abyssinia- Italy has interest in colony since 1895
Mussolini wanted to expand his empire (imperialism)
1934 an incident is set up where Italians are killed
Ethiopia appealed to the league
End of the League of Nations
League does not respond- Italy invades
Economic sanctions threatened by league
Hoare Laval plan gives most of Ethiopia to Italy if fighting stopped
Plan undermines the league
People loose interest – Mussolini completes conquest
Signals end of the league (still exists until 1945)
•German Rearmament- 1935 Hitler introduces conscription in Germany
France, Britain and Italy form the Stresa front to condemn Hitler’s actions
1935 Mussolini’s signs naval agreement with Hitler
March 1936 Hitler remilitarizes the Rhineland (Breaking the Locarno pact)
USA doesn’t join, Germany joins in 1926 (pulls out in 1933)
Lack of enforcement
Nationalism too strong
•Japan in Manchuria- Japan owns South Manchurian railway
Military operation in 1931 claiming Manchuria (renamed Manchukuo)
1932 League’s Lytton commission decides Japan to leave
Japan quits the league- invades northern China, 1933
League decides this conflict has no effect on Europe- ignores situation
Two men in Europe take notice
•Italy in Abyssinia- Italy has interest in colony since 1895
Mussolini wanted to expand his empire (imperialism)
1934 an incident is set up where Italians are killed
Ethiopia appealed to the league
End of the League of Nations
League does not respond- Italy invades
Economic sanctions threatened by league
Hoare Laval plan gives most of Ethiopia to Italy if fighting stopped
Plan undermines the league
People loose interest – Mussolini completes conquest
Signals end of the league (still exists until 1945)
•German Rearmament- 1935 Hitler introduces conscription in Germany
France, Britain and Italy form the Stresa front to condemn Hitler’s actions
1935 Mussolini’s signs naval agreement with Hitler
March 1936 Hitler remilitarizes the Rhineland (Breaking the Locarno pact)
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Summary: The reasons behind why the League of Nations failed was due to the lack of enforcement and three major countries not joining (Russia, USA and later Germany). Other countries then dropped out and proceeded to invade other countries. Japan was the first by invading Machuria in Japan. However, Italy did not drop out yet still went on to invade Abyssinia.