Early Acts of Appeasement
The Failures of the League of Nations
Japanesse Occupation of Manchuria, 1931
Italian Occupation of Abyssinia (Ethiopia), 1935
The end of the league of nations
Germany Rearms - Militarizes the Rhineland
- USA does not join
- Germany joins in 1926 - pulls out in 1933
- Lack of enforcement (only economic sanctions)
- Too closely linked with the Treaty of Versailles
- Nationalism too strong (big guys don't want little guys to tell them what to do)
Japanesse Occupation of Manchuria, 1931
- Japan owns South Manchurian railway
- Military operation in 1931 claiming Manchuria (renamed Manchukuo)
- 1932 - League's Lytton commission decides Japan to leave
- Japan quits the league - invades northern China, 1933
- League decides this conflict has no effect on europe - ignored situation
- Two men in europe take notice (hitler and mussolini)
Italian Occupation of Abyssinia (Ethiopia), 1935
- Italy had interest in colony since 1895
- Mussolini wanted to expand his empire (Imperialism)
- 1934 an incident is set up where Italians are killed
- Ethiopia appealed to the league of nations
The end of the league of nations
- League does not respond - Italy invades
- Economic sanctions threatened by league
- Hoare-Laval plan gives most of ethiopia to italy if fighting stopped
- Plan undermines the league
- People lose interest, mussolini finished conquest
- Signales end to the league (Still exists until 1945)
Germany Rearms - Militarizes the Rhineland
- 1935 Hitler introduces conscription in Germany
- France, Britain and Italy form the Stresa front to condemn Hitler's actions
- 1935 Mussolini signs naval agreement with Hitler
- March 1936 Hitler remilitarizes the Rhineland (Breaking the Locarno Pact)
"An appeaser is one who feeds a crocodile, hoping it will eat him last."
- Winston Churchill
- Winston Churchill
FUN FACT: According to the Oxford Dictionary, the word appeasement means "To Bring Peace"
Subjunctive Question
If the League had stopped Japan would Hitler not have gotten the idea?
Summary
The early acts of appeasement were first seen when Japan was allowed to take over China with no consequences from the League. Mussolini and Hitler both noticed this and realized that If they quit the League then they wouldn't stop them. This led to Hitler being allowed to start an army in an attempt by the League to prevent war.