C4: Outbreak of WW2 in Europe (2261 ELECTIVE HISTORY)

CHAPTER 4: FAILURES OF THE LON (in the 1930s) FAILURE OF DISARMAMENT Efforts at Disarmament in the 1920s Washington Naval Conference (1921) — Success - Negotiated outside the League to limit the size and number of warships held by Britain, France, Japan and the United States • Organised by the United States, which was not a League member • Ratio of tonnage of capital ships of Britain,the United States, Japan, France and Italy set at 5:5:3:1.67:1.67 Locarno Treaties (1925) — Partial Success - Negotiated outside the League between Britain, Germany, France, Italy, Belgium, Poland and Czechoslovakia ◦ Germany accepted its western borders, including the demilitarisation of the Rhineland - Weimar government agreed to settle any disputes with the above-mentioned countries through the League League Commission to prepare for World Disarmament Conference (1926) — Failure - Failed as Britain and France refused to co-operate Kellogg-Briand Pact (1928) - Failure - Negotiated outside the League between 15 countries including the United States, France, Germany, Britain, Italy and Japan - Agreement that force should not be used to settle disputes - No clear way to enforce the pact

The World Disarmament Conference (1932-1934) Concerned with the increasing tensions in the world, the League managed to persuade the United States and almost 60 other states to attend the World Disarmament Conference. It was held at the League's headquarters in Geneva in February 1932. Limiting Offensive Weapons - The Conference concentrated on trying to control the destructive power of offensive weapons. The Conference produced resolutions to prohibit the bombing of civiliapopulations and chemical warfare, as well as limiting the size of artlery and the tonnage of tanks. - Despite the positive start, the leaders could not agree on a few matters. - It was difficult to get all countries to agree on what offensive and defensive weapons were. - The resolutions passed did very little to ensure how the limitations on weapons would be achieved. - For example, the bombing of civilians was to be banned, but all attempts to agree to abolish planes capable of bombing were unsuccessful. Even the proposal to ban the manufacture of chemical weapons was unsuccessful. - Individual countries used the Conference to raise their own particular issues. - For example, Italy demanded to have a navy the same size as that of France. Dealing with Germany - The biggest issue at the Conference was what to do with Germany. Most countries shared the view that the terms limiting the size of G