This is a PDF to my complete notes on the League of Nations and the United Nations for the Edexcel IGCSE exam in May/June 2019. I combined the info from my class notes, textbook, revision guides and internet research to make these notes. I got a 7 in my exam. I hope this helps some other people do ...
Edexcel GCSE (9-1) History A World Divided Superpower Relations 1943-72 Student Book Notes
Edexcel IGCSE Vietnam Summary Notes
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League of Nations
CAUSES OF THE FIRST WORLD WAR
● Triple alliance → Austria-Hungary, Germany, Italy (until 1915)
● Triple Entente → UK, France, Russia (until 1917 - US joins when Russia leaves)
● Increased sizes of army in European countries and naval rivalry
→ UK & Germany build “super” battleships - Dreadnought
● Assassination of Franz Ferdinand (heir to Austrian throne)
→ Nationalist group kill him
● Growth of empires - France and UK interrupt Germany’s plan to gain land e.g. Morocco
EFFECTS OF THE FIRST WORLD WAR
● Armistice & Treaty of Versailles
● Weimar government
● Economic crisis
● High death toll - influenza
● Cease fire & demilitarisation
● Conferences + Treaties
WOODROW WILSON’S 14 POINTS
● He was the president of the US at the end of WW1
● His vision for world peace
● Four most important were:
1. Self determination - colonies should be able to decide own political decisions
2. Disarmament (getting rid of weapons) - weapons only allowed for defence
3. End secret treaties and alliances (caused WW1)
4. A League of Nations to maintain peace
Keywords + information
Covenant - a formal, written agreement
Arbitrate - to officially judge how an argument between two opposing sides should be settled.
All sides agree on who is to judge on their dispute.
Sanctions - penalties or punishments; economic sanctions are ways of punishing a country by
affecting its economy, such as stopping trades with it
Commissions - a group of people whose job it is to investigate and make recommendations on
a specific issue or problem
,Collective security - an arrangement where a group of countries agree that an attack on one of
them is an attack on all of them, and that they will act together against any aggressors
Delegates - someone who has been elected or chosen to speak, vote, or take decisions for a
group
Peacekeeping - giving support to countries as they move from war and conflict to peace
Humanitarian - concerned with improving bad living conditions and preventing unfair treatment
of people.
THE CREATION OF THE LEAGUE
● Founded in 1919
● The covenant was the document setting out the aims of the League
● The council of the league met up 3-4 times a year or in a case of emergency
→ The first territorial dispute settled by the league was the passing of the Aaland Islands to
Finland in 1920
→ The 5th permanent member of the council was Germany in 1926
The Secretariat
PICJ
● Autonomous part of the League
● 15 permanent members
● Sat in The Hague
● Interpreted and enforced treaties
● Dealt with complaints
● Advised the Council if necessary
COUNCIL
● Met 3-4 times per year in Geneva or if dispute arose
● 4 permanent members to 1926, 5 after 1926
● Made decisions about what action the League would take
● Set up commissions
● All votes had to be unanimous
● Reported to Assembly
ASSEMBLY
● League of Nations’ parliament; debated issues
● Met annually in Geneva, Switzerland
● Each member state had one vote
● Elected non-permanent members to the Council
, ● Elected judges to the PICJ
● Had ultimate authority over the League’s actions
SECRETARIAT
● Permanent body
● Headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland
● Led by Secretary General
● Drew up the agenda for the Assembly
● Did administrative work necessary for the League to carry out its decisions
INTERNATIONAL LABOUR ORGANISATION
● Autonomous part of the League
● Reported back to Assembly
● Focused on regulation of labour
→ including working hours
→ protection of women and children in the workplace
→ prevention of accidents
→ international cooperation on unemployment
COMMISSIONS, AGENCIS, SPECIAL COMMITTEES
● Established to deal with a range of social, economic, political and humanitarian issues
● Gathered relevant data
● Published reports - reported back to Assembly
● Developed policies and agreements
MEMBERSHIP OF THE LEAGUE CHANGED FREQUENTLY
→ Why is this a problem?
● Inconsistency
● No agreements reached because people weren’t used to working together
, IT COULD TAKE A LONG TIME FOR DISPUTES TO BE INVESTIGATED
1. Dispute taken to League of Nations
2. Members involved agree to a ‘cool off’ period of 3 months before resorting to war
3. Meanwhile, the issue was investigated by the council
4. Matter put to the PICJ or another form of arbitration if necessary
5. Hearing of League of Nations judgement; covenant required member nations to accept
League’s decision
6. If the judgement was ignored, or a nation resorted to violence, league members would
apply sanctions or take appropriate military action
DEFEATED NATIONS SUCH AS GERMANY, TURKEY AND AUSTRIA WERE NOT
IMMEDIATELY LEAGUE MEMBERS
→ Why is this a problem?
● Important countries don’t have a voice
● Struggling countries not included
THE USSR WAS DENIED MEMBERSHIP AT FIRST AS IT WAS COMMUNIST
→ Why is this a problem?
● Not a lot of political diversity
THE LEAGUE HAD NO ARMY OF ITS OWN
→ Why is this a problem?
● Seemed weak, vulnerable
● They weren’t taken seriously
CAUSES OF THE WEAKNESSES IN THE LEAGUE OF NATIONS MEMBERSHIP
● Unanimity
→ all decisions had to be unanimous
→ needed full cooperation to be successful especially as it did not have the means to
enforce its decisions
● Membership
→ Britain & France were two of the big three who were permanent council members +
involved in all key decisions
→ without USA, they were the most influential nations
→ this caused resentment in the League
● Victor’s club
→ countries were left out (e.g. Germany bc defeated & USSR bc communist + USA was
never a member)
→ absence of these international powers weakened the league
● Lack of force
→ not having its own armed forces was a drawback
→ league wasn’t strong enough to defend members under threat
→ not strong enough to enforce decisions
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