The League of Nations - King Henry VIII School, Abergavenny · Key Facts 1 The setting up of the...
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Support Materials to accompany WJEC GCSE History Germany in Transition, c.1919-1947 The League of Nations 3 Woodrow Wilson, President of America
Transcript of The League of Nations - King Henry VIII School, Abergavenny · Key Facts 1 The setting up of the...
Support Materials to accompany WJEC GCSE History Germany in Transition, c.1919-1947
The League of Nations
3
Woodrow Wilson, President of America
Key Question: How strong was the League of Nations in the years following The Great War? Aim of the lessons
To be able to
• demonstrate good understanding of the purpose of the League of Nations
• accurately describe the strengths and weaknesses of the League
Key Facts
1 The setting up of the League of nations was one of Woodrow Wilson’s Fourteen Points.
2 The main strength of the League was that it had been set up by the Treaty of Versailles.
3 The aim of the League was to settle disputes between countries peacefully.
4 Forty-two countries joined the League at the start with Britain and France being the main members. Although the League was President Wilson’s idea public opinion in America meant that it did not sign up to it. Russia did not join and Germany was not allowed to join. Without these three countries the League was seen as weak.
5 The League of Nations was based in Geneva, Switzerland, as it had remained neutral during the war
6 the League, under its Covenant, could do three things - these were known as its sanctions. • It could call on the states in dispute to sit down and discuss the problem in an orderly and peaceful manner • If the states failed to listen to the Assembly’s decision, the League could introduce economic sanctions • It could introduce physical sanctions. This meant that military force would be used to put into place the League’s decision. However, the League did not have a military force at its disposal and no member of the League had to provide one under the terms of joining - unlike the current United Nations
Woodrow Wilson’s League of Nations
“Practically the whole German nation was guilty of the crime of aggressive war conducted by brutal and bestial means...They must suffer for it.”
Winston Churchill, speaking in 1918
“The Germans, if this government is elected, are going to pay every penny; they are going to be squeezed, as a lemon is squeezed, until the pips squeak.”
Sir Eric Geddes (British politician), speaking in 1918
Wh
at c
an I
see
? D
oe
s th
e so
urc
e C
su
gges
t th
at t
he
Leag
ue
of
Nat
ion
s w
as p
ow
erfu
l wh
en it
cam
e in
to e
xist
ence
?
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Mora
l P
ersu
asio
n’
app
eare
d i
n t
he
Bri
tish
sat
iric
al m
agaz
ine
Punch
in J
uly
1920.
‘Moral Persuasion’ appeared in the British satirical magazine Punch in July 1920.
The rabbit says: "My offensive equipment
being practically nil, it remains for me to
fascinate him with the power of my eye."
To do this question, you
need first to borrow two
concepts from English:
Denotation (what you see)
Connotation (how it affects its audience)
This cartoon – entitled ‘Moral Persuasion’
appeared in the British satirical magazine
Punch in July 1920.
The rabbit says: "My offensive equipment
being practically nil, it remains for me to
fascinate him with the power of my eye."
What is the message of this cartoon?
A rabbit, representing the League of Nations.
Rabbits are weak, and known for running away and hiding.
Denotation
Connotation
Meaning The League is weak.
This cartoon – entitled ‘Moral Persuasion’
appeared in the British satirical magazine
Punch in July 1920.
The rabbit says: "My offensive equipment
being practically nil, it remains for me to
fascinate him with the power of my eye."
A snake, representing ‘international strife’ (i.e. war).
Snakes are powerful and evil, and they eat rabbits.
Denotation
Connotation
Meaning The League is too weak to expect it to be able to stop war.
This cartoon – entitled ‘Moral Persuasion’
appeared in the British satirical magazine
Punch in July 1920.
The rabbit says: "My offensive equipment
being practically nil, it remains for me to
fascinate him with the power of my eye."
The rabbit (knowing it has no weapons) is preparing to try to hypnotise the snake.
IDIOCY! Snakes hypnotise their prey, and rabbits ‘freeze’ with fear – the rabbit is going to be killed.
Denotation
Connotation
Meaning
‘Moral persuasion’ will never prevent war, and it will be the League which is destroyed.
This cartoon – entitled ‘Moral Persuasion’
appeared in the British satirical magazine
Punch in July 1920.
The rabbit says: "My offensive equipment
being practically nil, it remains for me to
fascinate him with the power of my eye."
Finally, always remember
to look at:
Origin (who drew it)
Date (when it was published)
This cartoon – entitled ‘Moral Persuasion’
appeared in the British satirical magazine
Punch in July 1920.
The rabbit says: "My offensive equipment
being practically nil, it remains for me to
fascinate him with the power of my eye."
This cartoon – entitled ‘Moral Persuasion’
appeared in the British satirical magazine
Punch in July 1920.
The rabbit says: "My offensive equipment
being practically nil, it remains for me to
fascinate him with the power of my eye."
An artist in the magazine Punch.
A British comic/political magazine.
Origin
Details
Significance
This cartoon shows the British felt the League would fail.
This cartoon – entitled ‘Moral Persuasion’
appeared in the British satirical magazine
Punch in July 1920.
The rabbit says: "My offensive equipment
being practically nil, it remains for me to
fascinate him with the power of my eye."
July 1920.
Poland, Russia and Czechoslovakia were at war and the League could not stop it.
Date
Details
Significance
This showed the British public’s disappointment that the League seemed unable to stop war.
Wh
at c
an I
see
?
Wh
at is
th
e m
essa
ge o
f th
is c
arto
on
?
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‘Th
e G
ap i
n t
he
Bri
dge’
was
dra
wn
by L
eon
ard
Rav
enhil
l, f
or
the
Bri
tish
mag
azin
e P
unch
(D
ecem
ber
1919).
This cartoon is entitled: ‘the Gap in the Bridge’
The cartoon was drawn by Leonard
Ravenhill, political cartoonist for the
British magazine Punch,
(10 December 1919).
What is the message of this cartoon?
To do this question, you
need first to borrow two
concepts from English:
Denotation (what you see)
Connotation (how it affects its audience)
This cartoon – ‘the Gap in the Bridge’
– was drawn by Leonard Ravenhill,
political cartoonist for the British
magazine Punch (10 December 1919).
A bridge, representing the League of Nations, with the keystone missing.
The bridge is not complete and will collapse without the keystone.
Denotation
Connotation
Meaning
The League is weak.
This cartoon – ‘the Gap in the Bridge’
– was drawn by Leonard Ravenhill,
political cartoonist for the British
magazine Punch (10 December 1919).
The keystone has USA on it.
America has not yet joined the League of Nations.
Denotation
Connotation
Meaning
Without America as a member, the League will fail.
This cartoon – ‘the Gap in the Bridge’
– was drawn by Leonard Ravenhill,
political cartoonist for the British
magazine Punch (10 December 1919).
Under the bridge is a deep, dark chasm.
If the bridge collapses, the world will fall into disaster.
Denotation
Connotation
Meaning
Without the League, there will be another war.
This cartoon – ‘the Gap in the Bridge’
– was drawn by Leonard Ravenhill,
political cartoonist for the British
magazine Punch (10 December 1919).
A sign says the Bridge was designed by Wilson, but ‘Uncle Sam’ is asleep.
‘Asleep’ has connotations of negligence/ blame/ uncaring-ness.
Denotation
Connotation
Meaning
America is being negligent/ hypocritical by failing to join.
This cartoon – ‘the Gap in the Bridge’
– was drawn by Leonard Ravenhill,
political cartoonist for the British
magazine Punch (10 December 1919).
Finally, always remember
to look at:
Origin (who drew it)
Date (when it was published)
This cartoon – ‘the Gap in the Bridge’
– was drawn by Leonard Ravenhill,
political cartoonist for the British
magazine Punch (10 December 1919).
This cartoon – ‘the Gap in the Bridge’
– was drawn by Leonard Ravenhill,
political cartoonist for the British
magazine Punch (10 December 1919).
Leonard Ravenhill, in the magazine Punch.
A British political cartoonist making a comic/political comment.
Origin
Details
Significance
It is criticising the American position/ delay in joining.
This cartoon – ‘the Gap in the Bridge’
– was drawn by Leonard Ravenhill,
political cartoonist for the British
magazine Punch (10 December 1919).
10 December 1919.
Three months BEFORE the US Senate finally voted to reject the Treaty and the League.
Date
Details
Significance
It is an attempt to shame the Senate into joining the League by prophesying disaster if it doesn’t.
