1. The crisis over Abyssinia 1935 - 37
Failure of the League
The crisis over Abyssinia

3. Background to events
Abyssinia : An independent country ruled by Haile Selassie, the only independent black country in Africa. In 1896 its army had defeated an Italian invasion.
Mussolini : Fascist dictator of Italy, was determined to build an Empire. He also wanted revenge for defeat of 1896.

4. Timeline of Events
December Italian troops provoke a clash at Wal Wal
October Italian invasion begins
December Britain and France produce Hoare-Laval Plan. Large parts of Abyssinia to be given to Italy in return for Italian withdrawal. Public outcry- plan abandoned
May 1936 Italian conquest complete

5. The League: actions and results
Dec 1934 offers arbitration
Rejected by Italy
Jan-Feb 1935 debates its response
no further action
May-Sept sets up a five power commission
Abyssinia rejects proposals
Oct 1935 Italy condemned limited economic sanctions imposed

6. The League: actions and results
March Oil embargo threatened
No impact Italy complete conquest. Hitler noted weakness of the League and remilitarize the Rhineland (March 1936)
June Haile Selassie addressed Assembly of League calling for help
No additional action by League

7. The League: actions and results
July sanctions against Italy abandoned
Italy - Kept Abyssinia
Became allied with Germany
Left the Stresa Front
Left the League (1937)

8. Why did the League Fail?
Britain and France were unwilling to take a lead they feared Italian action against their interests in the area
Also wanted to keep Mussolini in the Stresa Front to contain the threat posed by Hitler.
The Hoare-Laval Plan discredited and weakened the League

9. Long Term Results Countries lost faith in the League
Countries started to form secret alliances
Countries started to rearm.

10. Guilt - find some one to blame Armed forces to be dealt with
Aims of the Treaty of Versailles
Guilt - find some one to blame
Armed forces to be dealt with
Reparations - who has to pay
German territories - what to do
LEague of Nations to be formed

11. German reaction to Treaty of Versailles
Unrepresented
Not allowed to join League of Nations
Forced to accept terms - diktat
Angry with armed forces reductions
Injustice - War guilt, loss of land etc
Reparations - set to high

12. Why the L of N failed
French and British self interest
Absent powers - USA
Ineffective sanctions
Lack of an armed force
Unfair treaty
Reaching decisions too slowly
European club, everyone had to agree

13. The steps to war
Civil War in Spain
Re-occupation of the Rhineland
Anschluss with Austria
Sudetenland crisis
Hitler takes over rest of Czechoslovakia
Italy and Germany form pact of Steal
Nazi-Soviet Pact
Germany invades Poland