THE League of Nations was created by the Treaty of Versailles, on July 28, 1919, at the end of the First World War.
Its main objective was to serve as a space for discussions between nations and thus avoid wars. Its headquarters were in Geneva, Switzerland.
Origin
When World War I ended, the victorious nations gathered in Versailles, France, to discuss various issues such as reparations and borders.
US President Woodrow Wilson proposes to his country's Congress the creation of an international forum. The main objective of this institution would be to resolve the frictions between countries through diplomacy and not war.
This bill became known as the “Wilson's 14 points” and was accepted and incorporated into the Treaty of Versailles.
Members and Structure
The first meeting of the Council of the League of Nations took place in Paris on January 16, 1920.
The first members of the League of Nations were the victorious countries of the First World War like France, Holland and Belgium.
President Wilson, for his part, did not obtain the approval of the US Senate to enter the League of Nations. In this way, the creator was left out of the institution he had helped to plan.
The principal organ of the League of Nations was the seven-member League Council. Four permanent members participated in it: France, England, Italy and Japan. On the other hand, three countries were elected to occupy the temporary seats for three years.
At first, countries like Germany and Turkey were banned from participating in the organization. However, in 1926, Germany joins the League of Nations and Turkey joins in 1932.
Also, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) did not join the League at first. In 1934 Stalin decides to join the institution as a gesture of goodwill to the West.
Brazil in the League of Nations
Because of the participation of the Brazil in World War I, the country helped to create the League and was one of the first to join its ranks.
Brazil was for a long time the only American country with a seat on the League Council. As there were no defined rules for the occupation of temporary seats, Brazil started to be annually re-elected to the Council.
However, being the only representative of the American continent, the Brazilian government thought it should have more prestige. Thus begins the campaign to obtain a permanent seat on the League Council. This has become the government's key diplomatic goal. Arthur Bernardes (1922-1926).
Brazil supported the thesis of "American representation" in the permanent board of the Council. In the absence of the United States, Brazil would be the candidate from America with the best credentials to fill this position.
After all, it was a country of continental dimensions, large population and dynamic trade.
However, Brazil was unable to gather the necessary support to be elected as a permanent member of the Council. Then, the country withdrew from the League of Nations in 1926.
Failure
The League of Nations was created to guarantee world peace. However, the fact that it is she failed to prevent World War II.
Among the reasons for the League of Nations not being successful we can point out:
- the absence of the new world power, the United States;
- the lack of political will among member countries;
- colonialism in various parts of the world;
- the sudden change in German policy from the rise of Hitler in 1933.
The League of Nations ended in 1942, but in 1946 it passed all its assignments to the newly created UN (United Nations Organization).
Legacy
As we have seen, several studies point to the “failure” of the League of Nations for not having achieved its main objective.
However, the League of Nations resolved outstanding territorial issues in Albania and Silesia (territory between Germany, Poland and the Czech Republic).
Likewise, there were commissions that recognized opium trafficking, slavery and refugees as international problems. All of these issues are on the agenda today, but at that time it was the first time they were discussed worldwide.
Curiosities
- It took years for the League of Nations to have a flag and logo. It was not until 1939 that two five-pointed stars within a blue pentagon were established as a symbol.
- It was suggested that Esperanto be adopted as the official language of the organization.
- The League of Nations brought together 63 countries between 1920 and 1946. However, many have been disconnected or incorporated throughout their existence.
- The League of Nations is considered the laboratory for the constitution of the United Nations (UN).
read more:
- First World War
- Aftermath of the First World War
- Causes of World War II
- Questions about the First World War
- Movies about the First World War
- All About World War I
