Effects of the Absence of Major Powers. Max McGonigle 3/6/12 3A The League of Nations Effects of the Absence of Major Powers. Max McGonigle 3/6/12 3A

What was the League of Nations? Intergovernmental organization founded as a result of the Paris Peace Conference which ended the First World War. It was the first permanent international organization whose main goal was to maintain world peace.  The largest the league ever got was 58 members from September 28, 1934 to February 23, 1935. It lacked its own armed force and depended on the Great Powers to enforce its resolutions, economic sanctions, or provide an army if and when needed.

Failures of the League of Nations Experienced notable successes and some failures in the 1920s, the League was unable to prevent aggression by the Axis powers in the 1930s. Germany Japan, Italy, Spain withdrew from the League, among others. The beginning of the Second World War illustrated that the League was unable to prevent any future world war, which was its main purpose. Replaced by the United Nations at the end of World War II. The UN inherited a number of agencies and organizations founded by the League.

Major Powers That Were Absent Germany USSR United States of America Italy

United States of America The United States was never a part of the League of Nations. Isolationists in the Senate who were put off by America's intervention in World War I, which they felt was more of a European civil war than a true world war, prevented American participation.

Effect of USA not joining League of Nations. The U.S was the only major power to come out of the war more powerful than it had been when the war began causing the league to lose a force that could reinforce their resolutions etc. The other nations all had been severely weakened, and only two major victor powers were left in the League. This meant that any move to change or challenge to the peace by a defeated power would be opposed by a very small number of very weak nations. The United States had also been the driving forces behind the League’s creation, making the League seem less legitimate and less likely to be able to resolve future conflict.

Germany Germany joined the League of Nations on September 8, 1926. They withdrew on October 19, 1933. Withdrew because the League of Nations refused to end an arms limitations imposed on Germany after World War I. Adolf Hitler was the leader of Germany at the time of their withdrawal.

Effect of Germany withdrawing. The absence of Germany meant that one of the powers most likely to cause future conflict was now outside of a framework for peaceful reconciliation. This allowed Germany to disregard the decrees of the League of Nations, also by having the USSR on the outside with them, they gained additional strength against the league. Germany formed an alliance with Russia that allowed them to work around any kind of League action against them, including treaties banning German rearmament and military buildup.

USSR Joined the League of Nations on September 18, 1934. Expelled from the league on December 14, 1939. USSR expelled from League because of the Soviets' invasion of Finland on October 30.

Effect of USSR’s Absence  USSR’s absence from the League meant that one of the most powerful post war nations was viewed as an outlaw state and felt that its interests were not represented. It also lead to a large amount of turmoil over the following years, as USSR attempted to regain lost territory. The fact that the USSR was excluded at the behest of President Wilson also lead to a very strong sense that the idealistic nature of the League had been compromised. Created the idea that the League would be used as a method of reinforcing the current power balance rather than as a way of preventing future war.   Like Germany, The USSR had no interest in protecting the status quo as established at Versailles, and had no means to renegotiate.

Italy Italy was one of the founding members of the League of Nations in 1919. Withdrew from the League on December 11, 1937. Italy left the League of Nations after the Abyssinian crisis. The League of Nations condemned Italy's aggression and imposed sanctions including n attempt to ban countries from selling arms, rubber and some metals to Italy.

Effect of Italy’s Withdrawal. After the League of Nations imposed Sanctions upon Italy, some political leaders in France and Britain were opposed to the sanctions arguing that it might persuade Mussolini to form an alliance with Adolf Hitler.

Bibliography http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/League_of_Nations http://ibhistory.wikidot.com/the-league-of-nations http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/ussr-expelled-from-the-league-of-nations