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Great Depression
The Great Depression was mainly caused from the US protectionism and high tariffs had started a sort of "tariff war" between nations. The Great Depression officially started in the US with the crash of the stock market in October and then swept the world. It had its consequences, for example it caused a decline in international trade, large scales of unemployment which led to social unrest and political extremism and increased international tensions. -
Manchurian Crisis
Japanese expansion in East Asia was a cause of concern to the USA and European nations. They also saw Japan's increase in interest in china as a threat to their own trading rights. The League recommended that Manchuria should be returned to Chinese sovereignty, however Japan refused to accept the League decision and continued to occupy Manchuria. Without the support of its two most powerful members, the League had no power to do anything in response to Japan's actions. -
The World Disarmament Conference
The World Disarmament Conference failed to achieve anything significant to the disarmament. This was because the timing of the conference was poor because three larger issues emerged during the conference. The Great Depression impacted the status quo socially and politically. The League failed to stop japan in Manchuria and Japan withdrew from the League in 1933. Hitler also gained power in Germany in early-1933 and proceeded to expand. -
Hitler Appointed Chancellor of Germany
In January 1933, Hitler was appointed Chancellor of Germany, but he soon after sought to squash all political opposition. He also wanted to end the Weimar constitution and establish the Third Reich. Germany became a one-party totalitarian state founded on extreme nationalism and the use of violence to maintain order. -
Abyssina invaded in Italy
When Italy invaded Abyssinia, the League's ability to take action was hampered by the national interests of its most powerful members. Britain and France were the national interest and they were reluctant to giver their full support to Abyssinia for three main reasons. They saw Italy as an ally against Germany. Mussolini suggested that Italy is prepared for war at any time. Lastly, both nations were not ready to go to war, especially against a country whose alliance was important to Europe. -
Remilitarization of the Rhineland
There was no military resistance to Hitler's invasion thought they protested vigorously, neither Britain nor France took any direct action to remove German soldiers from the Rhineland. He was now fully convinced that Britain and France were unwilling to go to war in order to defend the Treaty of Versailles. Hitler justified his actions by arguing that he was merely righting the wrongs inflicted on Germany by the unfair Treaty of Versailles. -
The Spanish Civil War
The League was also weak in its response to the Spanish civil war. At the suggestion of Britain and France, the League established a Non-intervention Committee that aimed to prevent any foreign involvement in the Spanish Civil War. Italy and Germany were breaking the non-intervention by providing military assistance to Franco's Nationalist forces. -
The Munich Conference
The Munich Conference was made to settle the dispute over the Sudetenland in 1938. The conference gave in to Hitler's demands and they hoped to prevent a major European war in do so. It was also attended by political leaders from Germany, Britain, France, and Italy. -
Navi-Soviet Pact
Hitler was convinced that Britain and France would do nothing to defend Poland, so he viewed the USSR as the main obstacle to his plans. On August 24th, the USSR and Germany signed a treaty of friendship and non-aggression know as the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact or the Nazi-Soviet Pact. -
The Invasion of Poland
On September 1, German troops marched into Poland, supported by 1300 aircraft. The British government issued an ultimatum to Germany: Leave Poland or go to war with Britain. Germany ignore this ultimatum, so Britain declared war on Germany. France also declared war on Germany shortly after Britain did so.