Abyssinian Crisis

The Abyssinian Crisis

Background

• Mussolini wanted revenge for being defeated by tribesman in Abyssinia
• He wanted fertile lands and resources from Abyssinia
• Military victories for his leadership

banned arms sales

most importantly...

Success

• Considered member countries' benefits
• Tried to avoid further conflict

League's failure

banned loans

• Britain and France's weaknesses as leaders of the League

• The League was WEAK and IMPOTENT

October 1935

Mussolini launched invasion of Abyssinia

banned imports

• They were in the middle of entangling European relations, therefore it was harder for them to make decisions

December 1934

Decision: SANCTIONS

• They overrode their own benefits over the League and its covenants

• Made Hitler see a chance to defy the League and break the Treaty of Versailles, hence he marched into Rhineland.

banned export of rubber, tin

and metals

• Dispute between Italian and Abyssinian solders at the Wal-Wal Oasis 80 km inside Abyssinia

• They didn't give other member countries much say, making decisions mainly on their own.

• The Council declared Italy to be the aggressor

• The League failed to carry out decisive decisions, hence giving Mussolini the chance to defy the League

• Mussolini claimed this was Italian territory and demanded an apology.

• Sanctions
• Only works if imposed QUICKLY and DECISIVELY

Ban oil exports???

• He used this as an excuse and began preparing an invasion of Abyssinia

• The League didn't follow the covenant of collective security.

also...

• America would not support

• the Suez Canal was not closed

• afraid that this could have resulted in war with Italy

• Member countries' interests would be damaged

• Absence of America's support.

World War II

• British workers would lose jobs

DECISION DELAYED

Italy now had time to get enough resources and restore their strength to disobey the League's order.

" We know that four years later we could easily have stopped Mussolini if we had taken the sanctions against Mussolini that were obviously required, if we had closed the Suez Canal to the aggressor and stopped his oil."

--British states man Philip Noel Baker speaking at the very last session of the League in April 1946.

• Abyssinian emperor appealed to the League for help

works cited

PLAYS FOR TIME

THE HOARE-LAVAL PACT

1935

Dec 1935

FATAL BLOW

• Britain and France wanted to keep good relations with Italy against Hitler

7 March 1936

• SECRET dealing between British and French Foreign Ministers
• give Italy 2/3 of Abyssinia to let him stop the invasion

• The Stresa Pact

• Hitler marched into Rhineland

"Abyssinia 1935 to 1936." History Learning Site. N.p., n.d. Web. 7 Apr. 2014.

Low, David.

"The Man Who Took the Lid off." Cartoon. The National Archives. N.p., n.d. Web. 7 Apr. 2014.

"Mussolini's Triumph." Map. Plunge into History. N.p., n.d. Web. 7 Apr. 2014.

Simkin, John. "League of Nations." Spartacus Educaion. N.p., n.d. Web. 7 Apr. 2014.

Walsh, Ben. "How Did Mussolini's Invasion of Abyssinia Damage the League?"

Cambridge IGCSE Modern World History Option B: The 20th Century. London: Hodder Eduation, 2013. 44-47. Print.

OUTCOMES

• an act of treachery

• British people wanted the League to defend Abyssinia

Reaction

• A national outcry in Britain

• Americans were disgusted and stepped up exports to Italy

• Member countries lost faith in the League

• Italy kept defying the League's orders.

Sanction failed

• British Foreign Minister made a speech about collective security

• question about banning oil sales was further delayed.

• America started to support Italy

The League lost its prestige

"The League stands, and my country stands with it, for the collective maintenance of the Covenant, especially to all acts of unprovoked aggression."

A DISASTER TO THE LEAGUE

--Speech by Sir Samuel Hoare, British Foreign Secretary,

to the League at Geneva, 11 September 1935

• The League didn't actually take any action

• France was desperate to get Italy's help

• Mussolini annexed Abyssinia in May

"The man who took the lid off",

a cartoon by David Low, 4 October 1935

Rejected

The League would give Mussolini some of Abyssinia.

September 1935