The League of Nations: aims and structure Cambridge IGCSE History revision
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In plain words
After the worst war in history, the nations tried something new: a permanent club where arguments would be settled by talking. It had a noble purpose, a fine building in Geneva, and several faults built in from the day it opened.
9 things to know
- The League of Nations was set up in 1920 and was based in Geneva, in Switzerland. Its rules were called the Covenant.
- Aims: to stop wars, to encourage disarmament, to improve living and working conditions, and to encourage cooperation between countries.
- Collective security was the central idea: if one member was attacked, all the others would act together against the attacker.
- The Assembly was the League's parliament. Every member had one vote, it met once a year, and its decisions had to be unanimous.
- The Council was a smaller group that met several times a year and in emergencies. Its permanent members were Britain, France, Italy and Japan, and each had a veto.
- The Secretariat was the League's civil service. The Permanent Court of International Justice settled legal disputes, but could not enforce its rulings. Special commissions dealt with matters such as health, refugees and slavery.
- The League could act against an aggressor in three stages: moral condemnation, then economic sanctions, which meant refusing to trade, then military force. It had no army of its own.
- Membership was its greatest weakness. The USA never joined. Germany was not allowed in until 1926, and the USSR not until 1934. Britain and France led the League, and both had been weakened by the war.
- Other weaknesses: unanimous voting made decisions slow, sanctions could be broken by countries outside the League, and the League was tied to the hated Treaty of Versailles.
Worked example
Explain why the absence of the USA weakened the League of Nations. This is a 6-mark question.
- Sanctions: the USA was the world's richest country. An aggressor could carry on trading with it, so economic sanctions would not bite.
- Force: the USA was the strongest power left after the war. Without it, any military action depended on Britain and France, who were reluctant.
- Authority: the League was the idea of the American president. When his own country stayed out, the League lost credibility from the start.
Tips and tricks
- Learn the three steps of League action in order: condemn, sanctions, force. The missing army explains why the third step was never taken.
- When writing about weaknesses, divide them into organisation (unanimity, no army, slow) and membership (no USA, Germany and the USSR absent). The syllabus asks about both.
It lands in your notebook with its questions as flashcards.
The League of Nations: aims and structure: 5 questions and answers
These are the quiz’s questions. Do the quiz first, then come back here for the ones that got you.
Where was the League of Nations based?
Switzerland was neutral.
What was collective security?
It was the League's central idea.
Which major power never joined the League?
The Senate rejected the Treaty and the League.
How did voting in the Assembly make the League weak?
Agreement of every member was hard to get.
What was the last step the League could take against an aggressor?Stretch
It had no army of its own, so this step depended on its members.
Quiz
5 questions
Tap an answer and you’ll see straight away whether it’s right, and why.
Worksheet
3 questions, 14 marks. Write your answers on paper, then check them.
The League of Nations: aims and structure
Cambridge IGCSE History 0470 · 14 marks · papermunch.org
Name ______________________________ Date ______________
What were the aims of the League of Nations?[4]
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To prevent war through collective security. To encourage disarmament. To improve living and working conditions around the world. To encourage countries to cooperate, for example in trade.
Describe the work of the Council of the League.[4]
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It was a small group that met several times a year and in emergencies. It had permanent members, Britain, France, Italy and Japan, and temporary members. Each permanent member had a veto. It dealt with disputes, and could decide on condemnation, sanctions or force.
Why was the structure of the League a weakness?[6]
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Decisions in the Assembly and the Council had to be unanimous, so one member could block action, and the League was slow to respond in a crisis. It had no army of its own, so it relied on members to supply troops, which they were unwilling to do. The Court could give rulings but had no power to enforce them.
Answers: The League of Nations: aims and structure
- 1. To prevent war through collective security. To encourage disarmament. To improve living and working conditions around the world. To encourage countries to cooperate, for example in trade.
- 2. It was a small group that met several times a year and in emergencies. It had permanent members, Britain, France, Italy and Japan, and temporary members. Each permanent member had a veto. It dealt with disputes, and could decide on condemnation, sanctions or force.
- 3. Decisions in the Assembly and the Council had to be unanimous, so one member could block action, and the League was slow to respond in a crisis. It had no army of its own, so it relied on members to supply troops, which they were unwilling to do. The Court could give rulings but had no power to enforce them.