Question

Read the passage given and answer the following question:

In an effort to secure resources for its expanding industries, Japan invaded the northern Chinese province of Manchuria. Although many Western nations protested the Japanese action, most members of the League of Nations, including Canada, opposed any form of military intervention to defend Chinese sovereignty. A League of Nations commission, headed by the British diplomat Lord Lytton, was dispatched to Manchuria to investigate. - Loyal Edmonton Regiment Museum

Mention any four reasons for the failure of the League of Nations.

Answer 1

The League of Nations, established in 1920, failed to prevent global conflicts, eventually leading to World War II. The primary reasons for its failure were:

1. Lack of Enforcement Power: The League did not have its own army and relied on member countries to enforce its decisions, which was rarely done.
2. Absence of Major Powers:
   • The League’s credibility was undermined by the United States’ refusal to join.
   • Germany, Japan, and Italy left the League, diminishing its effectiveness.
3. Failure to Stop Aggression: The League did not prevent the Japanese invasion of Manchuria (1931), the Italian invasion of Ethiopia (1935), or Hitler’s expansion in Europe.
4. Slow and Ineffective Decision-Making:
   • The League’s need for majority decision-making restricted its ability to act quickly during emergencies.
   • When judgments were made, aggressors had already achieved their goals.