Option B: Twentieth century topic HOW IMPORTANT WAS THE USA'S DECISION NOT TO JOIN THE LEAGUE OF NATIONS? Study the Background Information and the sources carefully, and then answer all the questions. Background Information In November 1919 the US Senate voted to reject the Treaty of Versailles and this was confirmed by another vote in March 1920. An important part of the Treaty was the creation of the League of Nations. The USA's rejection of the Treaty meant that it would not be joining the League of Nations. When the League of Nations was established in 1919 many people had high hopes of it but by the late 1930s it was clear that it was a failure. Many reasons have been suggested to explain this including the lack of an army, the self-interest of powers such as Britain and France, and slow decision-making. However, some historians have argued that the failure of the USA to join the League was a fatal blow. How far was the refusal of the USA to join the League responsible for its failure? SOURCE A On 19 November 1919, the US Senate rejected the Treaty of Versailles, thus destroying any chance of American membership of the League. Britain faced the alarming prospect of League membership without the economic power and naval strength of the United States. These events cast a long shadow over the future of the League, especially with the increasingly bitter arguments between Britain and France. As early as the 1920s the Corfu Crisis had clearly demonstrated that while the threat of sanctions might be effective against small powers, it was unlikely to work effectively against Great Powers. Furthermore, unless the Great Powers, and especially Britain and France, were willing to work closely together to resolve disputes and to take joint economic and, if necessary, military action, the League could not exercise its authority in an effective way. However, in the late 1920s, public opinion across Europe thought that the League was becoming strong enough to prevent future conflicts. Both Britain and France publicly accepted the importance of their League obligations. But in private, ministers and their officials were uncomfortably aware of the limitations of the League, and of how little it could actually achieve in terms of economic or military action against a major power, particularly in the absence of clear French-British agreement about how it should operate. The onset of the Depression only served to further weaken the League's capacity for effective action. From a history book published in 1984. SOURCE B The League was very popular with war-wearied public opinion – surely quarrels between states could be settled by reasonable men sitting around a table in Geneva. But the League had important weaknesses: Russia and Germany were not members, the League had no way of imposing its decisions and it was heavily dependent on Britain and France acting together. Most crucially of all, in November 1919, the United States, the most powerful country in the world, refused to join. This final weakness mattered most when major powers such as Japan and Italy needed to be dealt with in the 1930s. Despite these problems and incidents such as Mussolini's flouting of the League's authority over Corfu, the League could have worked. By the late 1920s, the actions of the League, the revival of prosperity and the settling of French-German differences seemed to suggest that peace had come to stay. But it was not long before the absence of the USA really mattered. In the 1930s devastating financial and industrial collapse led to nationalist regimes winning power and harmony being destroyed. It was not surprising that the League, without the support of the USA, could not cope with the dangerous and complex situation that developed. From a recent history book. SOURCE C [Figure C.1] A cartoon published in a British magazine, December 1919. The keystone is the stone that locks the structure together. SOURCE D It was almost impossible to follow the proceedings of the League at Geneva without becoming cynical about it. The delegates acted in what they believed to be the interests of their own countries without the smallest regard for the general interests of the world. The journalists in Geneva were nearly all opposed to the weak behaviour of the League and the British and French governments. This was particularly true of the Americans. The British government was one of the most shortsighted. What foolishness its persistent opposition to any form of collective security is now seen to have been. From 1930 French policy was dictated from London, and after 1936 the subservience of France to England was complete. This meant France allowed itself to be dragged into policies opposed to the general interest of Europe with disastrous consequences. The Soviet delegation was one of the most faithful to the principles of the League. From a book entitled ‘The Geneva Racket, 1920–1939', published in 1941 by a British socialist and anti-fascist journalist. He lived in Geneva and reported on the League in the 1920s and 1930s. SOURCE E The development of the League of Nations is a central principle of our foreign policy. With America out of the League, sanctions are a mistake. The very people who have made us disarm, and quite right too, are now urging us forward to take action. But where will action lead us to? If you enforce an economic boycott you'll have war declared by Japan and Japan will seize Singapore and Hong Kong, and we cannot stop this. You'll get nothing out of America but big words. We cannot be going along one road, outside the League, with America, and also claim loyalty to the League. Stanley Baldwin, speaking to a friend in February 1932, as recorded in the friend's diary. Baldwin was a member of the British government at this time. SOURCE F [Figure F.1] A cartoon published in Britain, January 1933. It is entitled 'The doormat'. The text on the left reads 'Honour of Nations'. The text on the box on the right reads ‘Face-saving outfit'. The figure on the right is a member of the British government. SOURCE G [Figure G.1] A cartoon published in 1932. The two figures fighting represent Japan and China. SOURCE Н America's commitment to the preservation of world peace was not just a matter of ethical attitudes; it reflected concern about the negative effects of war on America's world trade. Despite its refusal to join the League of Nations, there were strong economic reasons why the USA could not turn its back on the wider world. When Italy attacked Abyssinia in 1935, Roosevelt, in advance of the League of Nations, promptly declared a state of war to exist between Italy and Abyssinia and imposed an arms embargo which he knew would affect Italy more than Abyssinia. Although he dared not align the USA openly with the League of Nations in applying sanctions, he urged businessmen not to trade with either side. When Italian purchases of raw materials from the USA rose sharply he threatened to publish the names of US exporters. This moral embargo was effective and trade fell back. It was Britain and France who let the League down by their surrender to Mussolini's demands. From a history book published in 1985. Now answer all the following questions. You may use any of the sources to help you answer the questions, in addition to those sources which you are told to use. In answering the questions you should use your knowledge of the topic to help you interpret and evaluate the sources.