The League of Nations faced many humanitarian and peacekeeping challenges.

Mark scheme

Marking points from the official mark scheme (Oct/Nov 2024). The mark or mark type is shown in brackets.

1. [4] The League established the International Labour Organisation.
2. [4] The ILO collected data about employment practises and used this to put pressure on governments to improve working conditions.
3. [4] The ILO campaigned for an 8-hour day.
4. [4] It campaigned for paid holidays and the right of workers to join trade unions.
5. [4] It campaigned for a minimum working age.
6. [4] It also made recommendations for improving the safety of workplaces.
7. [6] Italy invaded Abyssinia in October 1935. This was because the League had done little since the first incident at Wal-Wal in December 1934. Abyssinia appealed to the League for help, especially because Italy was amassing troops on its border. The League finally reported that neither side was to blame and even suggested that Italy should be given a part of Abyssinia. All this showed Mussolini that if he invaded the League would do nothing.
8. [2-3] Mussolini wanted to boost his popularity.
9. [2-3] Italy was facing a recession and high unemployment.
10. [2-3] Italy wanted land and valuable minerals.
11. [2-3] Mussolini thought that war would help to solve Italy's economic problems.
12. [2-3] Italy was disappointed with the treatment it received in the Versailles settlement and gaining territory in Abyssinia would make up for this.
13. [2-3] Mussolini wanted revenge for the defeat at Adowa in 1896.
14. [1] France and Britain made a pact to give large parts of Abyssinia to Italy.
15. [10] Although the League had some successes, on balance they had more failures in peacekeeping in the 1920s. Their attempts to keep the peace only worked when the countries involved agreed to abide by the League's terms. This happened in the dispute over the Aaland Islands. However, if a country disagreed with the League's judgement, they simply ignored it and this happened over Vilna where the Conference of Ambassadors gave in to Poland.
16. [4-6] The League had some successes and handled some disputes effectively. For instance, in 1921 there was a dispute over Upper Silesia. This area was important as it was a valuable industrial area. It was on the border between Germany and Poland. It was granted to Poland under the Treaty of Versailles. However, the Germans protested. The League solved the dispute by proposing the area be partitioned and this was agreed by both sides.
17. [4-6] In some areas the League was not a success, for example in the dispute over Corfu. The League found Italy to be in the wrong but Mussolini persuaded the Conference of Ambassadors to change the decision and was awarded compensation from Greece, even though he had invaded. This made the League appear weak in the face of aggression for a major power.
18. [2-3] The partition of Upper Silesia was a success.
19. [2-3] Mussolini got away with aggressive behaviour in the Corfu incident.
20. [2-3] The Conference of Ambassadors gave in to Mussolini.
21. [2-3] The Vilna dispute showed the League was powerless.
22. [2-3] The dispute over the Aaland islands was successfully resolved.
23. [2-3] Mosul was given to Iraq and Turkey accepted this.
24. [1] The League of Nations did not have an army to enforce its decisions.