USA HISTORY

AMERICAN IMPERIALISM(1890 1919)

LEAGUE OF NATIONS

[SOURCES]
What effect did the League’s failures in Manchuria and Abyssinia have?

(A) They made the League stronger

(B) ** They made the League weaker

(C) More countries joined

(D) The League strengthened its Army

EXPLANATIONS BELOW

Concept note-1: -The Abyssinian Crisis together with the Manchurian Crisis showed that the League would not stand up against those countries who wished to push the boundaries. Both instances of failure were watched by Hitler in particular who saw that the League of Nations would not stand up to him.

Concept note-2: -The Outcome: Japan refused to leave Manchuria. Instead, Japan left the League. Many countries had important trading links with Japan. The League could not agree on sanctions or even a ban on weapons sales.

Concept note-3: -Italy’s invasion of Abyssinia in 1935 caused a crisis for the League of Nations. League members imposed limited sanctions against Italy and debated at length the imposition of an embargo on oil shipments to Italy, which came to stand as a symbol of the League’s determination to punish the Italian aggressor.

Concept note-4: -The Manchurian crisis was a disaster for the League of Nations, and revealed that it needed the USA to function properly. It also showed that the League of Nations was powerless to function against large and powerful countries.