Rato Bangala School Model United Nations 2014rbsmun2014.weebly.com/uploads/2/9/4/2/29424349/lon.pdf · Japanese Invasion of Manchuria and the Abyssinian Crisis. These events were

Rato Bangala School Model United Nations 2014

Study Guide League of Nations

RBSMUN2014 Study Guide: League of Nations

Table of Contents

Message from the Chair

Introduction to the committee

History of the committee

Rationale for the League of Nations

Powers and Organization

Original Members

Topic A: Japanese Invasion of Manchuria

History of the topic

Statement of the problem

Current situation

Proposed solutions

Questions a resolution must answer

Bloc positions

Topic B: Abyssinia Crisis

History of the topic

Statement of the problem

Current situation

Proposed solutions

Questions a resolution must answer

Bloc positions

Closing remarks

Bibliography

3

Message from the Chair

Delegates,

Welcome to the League of Nations of RBSMUN 2014. It is here that you can, as representatives of your

nation, shape the present and future of the world. This year we shall simulate a special conference of

the League of Nations relating to events that were crucial to the build-up to the Second World War: the

Japanese Invasion of Manchuria and the Abyssinian Crisis.

These events were dark days in the history of the League of Nations and consequently led to the Second

World War. This committee gives you an opportunity to interact with other delegates and get an

opportunity to decide on a path for the world. Your actions over these three days will shape the future

of the League of Nations and the face of world politics. It is our expectation that you will be able to carve

out a solution so that these crises can be resolved and the long-term implications of these events can be

averted.

The executive members of your committee have devoted time, effort and patience into drafting this

study guide. We suggest you go through the guide before doing any further research. Strive to

understand the issues we discuss and follow up on them to fully prepare yourselves for the debate.

Please note that we will be available to attend to concerns prior to the conference at any point of time,

so feel free to contact me at my email address.

Yours sincerely,

Gaurav Pathak

Chair, League of Nations

RBSMUN 2014

[email protected]

RBSMUN2014 Study Guide: League of Nations

Introduction to the League of Nations

The League of Nations was an international association of countries created to maintain peace among

the nations of the world. Its primary function was the maintenance of international peace and security

by means of actions approved through diplomatic negotiations among member nations and

implemented as the resolutions of the Council. The League of Nations investigated international issues,

discussed the gravity of such matters and strived to reach a solution to those conflicts through

diplomatic pressure, the imposition of sanctions, the authorization of military force, and the assignment

of peacekeeping forces and mediators. Its role was of paramount importance for the neutralization of

looming threats of violence and terror as to sustain peace in the world.

This year two events crucial to world politics in the 1930s will be discussed. The first is the Japanese

invasion of Manchuria, during which China requested arbitration, claiming that Japan had invaded

Manchuria, a region of China. Japan is one of the permanent members of the League of Nations Council

and this aggression by such a prominent member of the League was deemed unacceptable. In this

historical simulation, it will be up to the delegates to decide what action should have been taken in

order to preserve the integrity of world peace and the league.

The next topic concerns the invasion of Ethiopia, then known as Abyssinia,

by Italy. Economic and military sanctions may seem to be the simple

answer (and was the one historically arrived at) but there are many

political reasons which make this decision not very straightforward. The

delegates must resolve these issues and show that they are committed to

the preservation of world peace.

Unlike the present day UN, no nation had veto power in the League of

Nations. Also decisions were not binding: no nation was required to take

part in any League activities. Participation was voluntary. This committee

shall adhere to thoie rules, so the delegates can succeed in resolving these

crises only by coming to a consensus and acting as a unified body.

History of the League of Nations

The victors of World War I—including France, Great Britain, Italy, Japan, and the United States—drew up

a covenant (constitution) for the League in 1919. The League was established in January 1920, with

headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland. President Woodrow Wilson of the United States was the chief

planner of the League.

5

The rationale for the League of Nations.

World wars, the leaders of the time reasoned, would continue to occur as long as each nation has to be

responsible for its own defense. Under this condition, nations would form competing groups, each

arming against the other.The League of Nations brought together nations of the world and pledged to

defend the territory and independence of any member attacked by another nation because even a

powerful nation, when opposed by many other nations, does not go to war.

Powers and organization

The League Covenant

This document contains articles pledging member nations to preserve the independence and territory of

all members against attack. Members agree to submit any disputes that might lead to war either to ar-

bitration (decision by a third party) or to an investigation by the League Council. Members promise not

to go to war with any member that agrees to the recommendations of a court of arbitration or the

League Council. If any member goes to war in violation of these articles, member nations agree they will

apply economic sanctions (penalties) such as stopping trade with the offending nation. At the League

Council's request, nations will also use military force against the nation in violation of the Covenant.

The Council

It is the principal peacekeeping agency. Its size ranges from 8 to 14 members during the League's

history. The most powerful members of the League had permanent seats on the Council. They were

France, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, japan, and the Soviet Union. The remaining seats were rotated

among the small nations of the League.

The Assembly

The Assembly is composed of all member nations and each member has one vote. The Assembly

controls the League budget, admits new members, elects the temporary Council members, and makes

amendments to the Covenant. On these matters, the Assembly can decide by a two-thirds or a majority

vote.

The Secretariat

It provides the administrative staff of the League. A secretary-general, who is nominated by the Council

and approved by the Assembly, heads a staff of about 600 officials. These officials assist the

peacekeeping work of the League and provide personnel for special study commissions on disarmament

and colonial affairs. The Secretariat also staffs the various international organizations set up by the

League to promote cooperation in international trade, finance, transportation, communication, health,

and science.

RBSMUN2014 Study Guide: League of Nations

Original Members

The following nations were the original members of the League. Many other nations joined later.

Argentina Great Britain Panama

Australia Greece Paraguay

Belgium Guatemala Peru

Bolivia Haiti Poland

Brazil Honduras Portugal

Canada India Romania

Chile Iran South Africa

China Italy Spain

Colombia Japan Sweden

Cuba Liberia Switzerland

Czechoslovakia Netherlands Thailand

Denmark New Zealand Uruguay

El Salvador Nicaragua Venezuela

France Norway Yugoslavia

7

Topic A: Japanese Invasion of Manchuria

History of the Topic

To understand the current situation, the historical and geopolitical context of the region needs to be

analyzed. In this section we look at the events relating to the situation from the 19th century to 1931,

when Japan invaded Manchuria, as well as more recent economics and politics.

Timeline

18th April 1885

Li-Ito Convention (Tientsin Convention): Japan and China signed the Li-Ito Convention in which both nations agreed to withdraw their troops from Korea. According to this treaty one country should inform the other if they were going to dispatch troops to Korea.

1894 Tonghak Rebellion: The Tonghak followers in Korea successfully defeated government troops in southern Korea and Korea requested China to send aid. Japan then sent its troops as well and chose to attack the Chinese troops without any formal declaration. This sparked the first Sino-Japanese war.

1st August 1894-17th April1895

First Sino-Japanese war: This war was fought between Qing dynasty of China and Meiji Japan over control of Korea. Japanese troops made a rapid progress and eventually defeated the Chinese. By March 1895 Japan had already invaded Shantung and Manchuria.

17th April 1895 Treaty of Shimonoseki: In the Sino-Japanese War China was ready to seek peace so both nations signed the Treaty of Shimonoseki in which China agreed to give Japan the Pescadores, Formosa, Port Arthur and the Liatoung peninsula. China even paid a large indemnity.

1899-1900 Open door in China: Secretary of the United States John Hay came up with the concept of “Open Door in China”. Its goal was to secure international agreement to the U.S policy of promoting opportunities to engage in international trade in China.

8th February 1904

Russo-Japanese war: Japan attacked Russian troops without any declaration in Port Arthur, a Russian naval base situated in China.

March 1905 Japanese troops defeated Russian troops in Shenyang, China.

5th September 1905

Treaty of Portsmouth: Russia and Japan signed this treaty to end the war. Russia agreed to give the Island of Sakhalin, port and rail rights in Manchuria to Japan. This treaty was mediated by United States President Theodore Roosevelt.

October 1911 Chinese Revolution: A group of revolutionaries in southern China led a successful revolt against the Qing dynasty, trying to end the imperial system and establish the Republic of China.

RBSMUN2014 Study Guide: League of Nations

28th July 1914- 1918

First World War: The First World War lasted four years and devastated many nations.

7th May 1915 Twenty-one demands: These demands include a demand that China cease its leasing of territory to foreign nations and allow Japanese to control over Manchuria and Shandong among them.

10th January 1920

League of Nations : First proposed by Woodrow Wilson, the League of Nations was established after the First World War to resolve international disputes.

November 1921-February 1922

Nine-Power Pact: This treaty was signed by the United States, Japan, Britain and France. These nations were “obliged to respect the sovereignty, the independence, territorial and administrative integrity of the state and china”(1) and negotiated to “ respect each other’s Pacific island dependencies for 10 years”(2)

27th August 1928

Kellogg Briand Pact: Also known as the “Pact of Paris” this pact was signed by 15 different nations initially. These nations agreed to settle any kind of conflict that would arise only by pacific means and “war to be announced as national policy “.

18th September 1931

In the city of Shenyang, Japan attacked Chinese barracks and Japan successfully invaded the city as well.

21st September 1929

China and Soviet Union fought along the Manchurian border.

18th September 1931

Mukden Incident: This incident refers to the seizure of the Manchurian city of Mukden by the Japanese. It lead to the invasion of all of Manchuria and the establishment of the Japanese-dominated state of Manchukuo. The Japanese used the pretext of an explosion along the South Manchurian Railway to occupy Mukden. The Kellogg-Briand Pact turned out to be meaningless.

1931-1932 Lytton Commission: This commission was established by the League of Nations in order to study the cause of the Japanese invasion of Manchuria on 18th September 1931.

9th March 1932 Japanese created the puppet state of Manchukuo out of the three historical Manchurian provinces. Even though Manchukuo was nominally in the hands of the Chinese it was strictly controlled by the Japanese, who intended to transform Manchuria into a military and an industrial base for Japanese expansion into Asia.

9

History of Manchuria

Located in the northwestern part of China, Manchuria borders Russia to the

north, Korea to the east and Japan just beyond the Sea of Japan. Manchuria

has had to withstand the influence of Russian Imperialism and the scrutiny

of the Japanese military. Manchuria was considered an ideal place to

colonize due to the presence of rich minerals and the availability of land

Conflicts in Manchuria and nearby began with the First Shino Japanese War

(1884-1895). This war was fought between the Qing Dynasty of China and

the Japanese over vast territories of Chinese lands (Manchuria and Liaotung

Peninsula) and after a year of war, the Japanese won. China, in order to

maintain its sovereignty, requested aid from foreign nations. Russia,

Germany and France answered China’s call and requested a Japanese

withdrawal from Chinese lands. Japanese submitted to the demands and withdrew from China.

However, Russia’s major cause for the intervention was not to respect China’s sovereignty but to

strengthen its own imperialistic influence in Manchuria. China started building infrastructure such as

ports and railways which connected the Manchuria with Russia. By 1896 the influence of Russia in

Manchuria was immense. Even the government offices and military bases were controlled by Russians.

The local Chinese did not appreciate this new Russian influence and could tolerate no more, so in 1890

the Boxers’ Revolution was started to displace foreign influence from Manchuria. The Russians

retaliated with military intervention and took complete control of Manchuria for the period from 1900

to 1904.

Japan was still keen on colonizing Korea and the peninsula surrounding the seas, so they agreed to

recognize Russia’s control over Manchuria if Korea was handed to them. Russia did not agree to these

terms and thus began the Russo- Japanese War (1904-1905) between Russia and Japan. Japan fought

this war to rightfully claim what they had won in the first Sino-Japanese war. This war ended with USA

intervening and establishing the Portsmouth Treaty. Even though the war ceased and Russia withdrew

from China, the Japanese maintained a tough grip on Manchuria, controlling its railways lines and

nearby lands.

Economic cause for the Japanese invasion of Manchuria

One of the main reasons for the Japanese invasion of Manchuria is the economic situation of Japan and

the entire world. The Great Depression had left the world economy in shambles and every county was

trying to protect its domestic industries. This protectionist tariff wall had a negative impact on the

export-led Japanese economy.

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The Great Depression

The Great Depression caused a worldwide business slump. It began in the 1929s when the values of

stocks and shares in the United States dropped rapidly. Banks, factories and shops closed and left

thousands of people unemployed.

This caused a fall in demand for foreign goods by America, which wass one of the biggest economies.

The decline in the US economy wass the factor that pulled down most countries and the world was in a

deep depression.

This Depression caused radical changes in counties like Germany and Japan. The people in these nations

The export-led Japanese economy

The Japanese economy was doing quite well after World War I. Cheap Japanese textiles were taking

over British-dominated markets. However Japan is an island nation with few resources and relies greatly

on foreign trade. The loss of consumer confidence due to the Great Depression and the fall in

purchasing power of consumers of all economies poor and rich hurt world trade and it took a toll on

Japan. The population boom in the prosperous period could not be supported by the 20% of Japanese

land which is not arable.

Protectionism

Every county tired to help its domestic industries by raising the tariff wall against foreign goods. The

export-dependent Japan was severely affected by this phenomenon.

Since no country imported Japanese luxuries like

silk, the value of Japanese exports fell by more than

50% between 1929 and 1931. Many people blamed

the government for the crisis and looked towards

military leaders to solve this problem.

Manchuria is the answer

Competition among nationalists, communists and

warlords left China weak. Manchuria thus became

a ripe target for Japan. Japan had treaty rights to

station troops along its railway lines in Manchuria.

Manchuria is greater than the size of Germany and France combined and Japan saw it as a place for its

surplus population spill over into. The area also had vital resources that Japan had to import. Thus the

military rulers of Japan saw Manchuria as a desirable place to conquer and used the Mukden incident as

an excuse to invade under the pretext of self-defence.

Japanese infantry invading Manchuria

11

Statement of Problem

In February 1933, 17 months after Japan invaded Manchuria, the League of Nations

decided to hold a special meeting to resolve the problems in Manchuria.

With the responsibility of maintaining international peace and solving problems

with diplomacy and negotiations, the League of Nations faced a problem which had

put the world on the brink of another war. Japan justified its actions with various

reasons. It claimed that their economic problems and need for natural resources made the invasion of

Manchuria a necessary act of survival. However in the process of rebuilding the economy of one nation,

the sovereignty and freedom of another was lost. The League needed to find appropriate solutions to

bring an end to the crisis. In the progression of the crisis, various treaties were violated and ignored.

Meting out consequences for such violations was another responsibility the League was expected to

take. Delegates will have to revisit the past to meet these obligations

The strength of the Covenant of the League and other treaties had not yet been tested at the time.

Effectively solving thhhe Manchuiran crisis and enforcing the treaties which had been ignored was

essential to show their effectiveness and strength to the international community. Delegates must

realize that failing to tackle this problem successfully will result in countries’ losing confidence in the

purpose and power of the League.

(Cartoons regarding the crisis depicted by press)

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Current Situation

After Japan invaded Manchuria and threw the Chinese out, the Chinese government asked the League of

Nation to intervene. In February 1932, the Lytton Commission was established by the League under Lord

Lytton. It consisted of five members of different nationalities and they were assigned to study the

circumstances that had affected international relations, to find out the cause behind Japan’s invasion of

Manchuria and what had disturbed the peaceful relations between China and Japan; and finally to

submit the report to the council. After an extensive study they submitted their report in September

1932. The report clearly stated Japan’s reasons and found both parties guilty. Some of the reasons are

briefly explained below:

Diversity of the Manchurian population: Two-thirds of the foreigners living in Manchuria were

Japanese. The argued that the Chinese administration of Manchuria had not been protecting

the rights of the non-Chinese population.

Economic commitments of Japan in Manchuria: Japan had invested a lot in Manchuria to uplift

various sectors like agriculture, industry, railway and mining.

The legitimacy of Manchukuo: The puppet state of Manchukuo had not been established

because of the Manchurians’ request for autonomy from China. The new government was

dependent upon Japan’s military and civil directions and the non-Japanese population of

Manchuria was unaware about the current situation.

The commission suggested that an autonomous government be established in Manchuria. When the

commission met in October 1932 with its report Japan was still controlling Manchuria but had

withdrawn from Shanghai. Japan opposed the non-recognition of Manchukuo in the report and, for its

part, China agreed to many of the suggestions included in the report but disapproved of the foreign

initiatives as a part of autonomous status. According to the commission, the war in Manchuria had been

deliberately provoked by the Japanese. Countries like Sweden, Ireland, Czechoslovakia and Spain

expected a quick decision against Japan for it had violated the terms of the League of Nations while

nations like France, Britain and Germany tried to persuade Japan to concede.

13

Treaties which have been violated

The following treaties were violated when Japan invaded Manchuria:

Kellogg-Briand Pact

The Kellogg-Briand Pact, which is also known as “Pact of Paris” was signed in August 1928 by United

States of America, United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, Japan and other member nations. The main

objective of this pact was to avoid aggressive wars and to avoid war except in cases of self-defence. This

treaty was added to the League of Nations treaty series in September 1929.

The treaty’s first obstacle came in 1931 when one of its members, Japan, invaded China. Due to the

many flaws in the treaty such as actions required to take when an incident occurred and its vagueness

about the term “self-defense” the Kellogg-Briand Pact

failed in its purpose.

Nine-Power Treaty

The Nine-Power Treaty was signed on February 1922 in

Washington DC. The nine countries who signed this

treaty (United States, Great Britain, Japan, Italy, France,

Belgium, Portugal and Netherlands) acknowledged the

sovereignty of the lands of China. The committee also

established an “Open Door Policy” giving China the right to

trade with any international country having complete

influence of China.

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Proposed Solutions

The League of Nations needs to solve this issue as quickly as possible if it is to be able to prevent future

wars. The problem can be traced to Japanese aggression in the region. If, based on the Lytton report,

Japan has no legitimate claims to Manchuria then Japan needs to restore the sovereignty of the region

to China and withdraw its forces.

A. Complete restoration of Manchuria to China

The protocol of the League of Nations is to impose economic and military sanctions on the aggressor, so

delegates can attempt to force Japan to withdraw by enacting economic and military sanctions. Support

from non-League of Nations members may be required for sanctions to become effective.

B. Joint governance by China and Japan

Since the majority of the population and assets in the area are Japanese, the delegates may try to make

the Japanese and Chinese parties come to terms about joint rule of the area so that the interests of the

Japanese population there can be protected.

C. Referendum in Manchuria

A fair referendum can be conducted in Manchuria in order to find out what the Manchuria people

desire, Chinese rule, sovereignty or Japanese rule.

(Japanese solders present in Manchuria)

15

Questions a resolution must answer

The following questions need to be answered by a resolution:

1. How should the governance of Manchuria be carried out? Should a government be formed by

bringing representatives from Japanese and Chinese governments, governance by the League of

Nations or elections in Manchuria?

2. Should Manchuria be allowed to be a sovereign state? Should a referendum be conducted?

3. How can the rights of the Japanese population in China be safeguarded? Should there be a

reservation for Japanese representatives in the government of Manchuria?

4. How can Japanese investments in the area such as railways and agriculture be safeguarded?

Should Japan be allowed to keep a military garrison in the area?

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Bloc Positions

Japan

Japan claims that it has rights to Manchuria and wants to annex the area. It wants the League to Nations

to recognize the state of Manchukuo.

United States of America

Although not a member of the League, USA opposed Japanese aggression and favoured Japan’s

withdrawal from the area.

Great Britain and France

Because of concerns about trade and colonies in the Far East, Britain and France want a diplomatic

solution without disrupting trade in the area.

Other League of Nations members

Other League of Nations members expect a swift concluscion to the incident by the League of Nations.

The nations view the invasion as an act of aggression by Japan against hina and believe the League

should make Japan withdraw from the region.

17

Topic B: The Abyssinia Crisis

Historical of the Topic

Below look at the points that have led to the build-up to the conflict that we are dealing with.

Timeline of the build-up to the crisis

This table summarizes the major events that occurred up to this special League of Nations conference.

1st August 1923

Abyssinia joined the League of Nations: Abyssinia became a member of the League in order to protect itself from foreign encroachment by Britain, France and Italy.

14th March 1924

Temporary Slavery Commission: When Ethiopia became a member of the league, the League of Nations decided to promote an international committee to end slavery so the Council created the temporary Slavery Commission which was responsible for gathering information about slavery and striving to suppress slavery internationally.

1st December 1925

Lacorno Treaty: This treaty was signed by France, Britain, Germany, Italy and Czechoslovakia. By signing the treaty these nations guaranteed peace in western Europe.

2th August 1928

Italo- Ethipia Treaty: A twenty-year treaty in which Italy agreed to help Ethiopia resolve any dispute in a peaceful manner. Another important objective of the treaty was to resolve differences in East Africa. Through this treaty, Ethiopia was provided with access to the Red Sea port of Asseb.

28th august 1928 Both Italy and Abyssinia joined the Kellogg-Briand pact

1930 Walwal: Italy built a fort at Walwal in the Ogden. Since Walwal was in a boundary zone between the nations of Italy and Ethiopia by doing so, Italy violated its 20-year ltreaty with Ethiopia.

22nd November 1934

Walwal incident: The Abyssinians demanded that the fort to be handed over to them but the Italians refused.

December 1934 Italian Prime Minister Benito Mussolini ordered his Italian troops which were stationed in Somaliland and Eritrea to attack Abyssinia. The Italians demanded an apology and financial compensation.

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January 1935 Abyssinian army killed 5 Italian soldiers near WalWal With an intention to keep Italy in the Stresa Pact against Germany France

gave Italy a part of French Somaliland. Emperor of Abyssinia, Haile Selassie asked League of nations to help

Abyssinia.

22nd March 1935 The League of Nations pressured Italy to arbitrate the Walwal incident but the Italians were still mobilizing their troops.

20th May 1935 A meeting of the League of Nations was held as per request of the Abyssinian emperor.

July 25th 1935 An embargo was imposed by Britain on arms sales to both Italy and Ethiopia. Britain cleared its warships from the Mediterranean, thereby allowing Italy easy access to eastern Africa.

16th August 1935 Nations like France and Britain offered Italy large concession in Ethiopia to prevent war but Italy refused.

4th September The League met again and cleared both and Ethiopia of any guilt for the Walwal incident.

19

History of Abyssinia

The history of the conflict in Abyssinia dates back to 1889, when Manelik II, the emperor of Shewa (now

an Ethiopian city) conquered the remaining neighboring lands and declared himself the sole Emperor of

Ethiopia (which was called Abyssinia by European nations). To carry out this feat, Manelik II had received

help from Italy. Manelik II then signed a treaty with Italy (the Treaty of Wuchale), which was supposed

to give Italy control over the northeast lands of Abyssinia. In return Italy had to recognize Manelik II as

the ruler of Abyssinia. This treaty had major flaws as it did not convey the same message in Italian and

Amharic (the local language of Abyssinia). In Italian the treaty recognized Italy as the protectorate over

Abyssinia, but in Amharic it was stated that Italy coudl come to Abyssinia’s aid only aid if Manelik II

asked for helpt. Manelik II refused to acknowledge the Italian version of the treaty, so Italy resorted to

military action. After a string of battles in Abyssinia, the conflict was concluded at the Battle of Adwa.

The consequence of this battle was so severe to Italy that they withdrew their solders, which brought an

end to the first Italo-Ethiopian War.

The next conflict between these two nations started in 1928. According to the Italo-Ethiopian Treaty of

1928, the border between Italian Somaliland (land colonized by Italy) and Ethiopia was twenty-one

leagues to the Benadir coast. In 1930, Italy built the Walwal fort which was not within the border limits

and Abyssinia recognized this action as Italian encroachment on their lands and thus hostility between

Italy and Abyssinia increased. Even though both Italy and Abyssinia released statements of non-

aggression and peace, neither were satisfied.

Under Benito Mussolini Italy had grown more developed, advanced, and industrialized. Mussolini

wanted to invade Abyssinia for its resources and for the glory of a successful conquest. On the other

hand, Emperor Haile Selassie of Abyssinia wanted peace, sovereignty and recognition of Abyssinia’s

borders. In 1934 Ethiopia protested against the Walwal fort and formally asked Itlay to withdraw. The

Walwal Incident proved to be the climax of the hostility between Italy and Ethiopia. During this incident

both parties faced causalities. Mussolini considered Abyssinia’s protest against Walwal an act of

aggression and ordered its troops to invade Abyssinia. Abyssinia approached the League of Nations with

hopes of solving the crisis. This introduced the Abyssinia Crisis to the League of Nations and gave its

member nations another chance to prove their effectiveness and purpose.

Reasons for Italy to Invade Abyssinia

“We have been patient with Ethiopia for forty years. It is enough now.” –Mussolini

Treaty of Versailles

World War I was concluded with the Treaty of Versailles signed by the USA, Italy, France and Britain.

This treaty looked into compensation for and prevention of wars. Italy felt that the Treaty of Versailles

did not give it sufficient land and resources to rebuild its economy. Italy also felt that the Allies had

taken most of their lands. This prompted Italy to look for alternative solutions.

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Italy Lacked Colonies

Both Britain and France had plenty of colonies in Europe as well as Africa. This encouraged Italy to

further extend its colonies. Mussolini was often portrayed by the media as Julius Caesar because of his

aspiration to build an Italian Empire. In this search for power and resources to make such an empire

possible, Italy invaded Abyssinia.

Economic Difficulties and Market

Like most European nations, Italy suffered greatly after the First World War. Its economy was falling and

the government needed to distract people from this fact. Italy then focused its strength on invading

Abyssinia in the hopes of strengthening the economy and signaling to people that Italy was ready to

grow. Taking Abyssinia would also provide Italy with a market in Africa to

trade off surplus and goods.

The problems in the Italian colonies (Somalia)

Parts of Somalia were under the rule of Mussolini. However, these colonies

were often raided and troubled by gangs from Ethiopia. Mussolini had

asked the Ethiopian government to solve this problem, but when Ethiopia

did nothing to help Italy, Mussolini retaliated with military force. Mussolini

also blamed the casualties faced at the Walwal fort on Ethiopia.

Mussolini and Glory

Mussolini needed glory to uplift his nations and promote its growth.

Invasion of Abyssinia could not only provide him with the tools to help Italy, but would also provide him

the glory needed to lift the spirits of his people. A victory would also increase his strength and

reputation as a dictator.

Statement of the Problem

One of the most important principles of the League of Nations is to recognize and respect the

sovereignty and integrity of national borders. In the goal

of avoiding international war, maintaining countries’

borders is vital. Abyssinia has requested the League to

intervene against Italy’s invasion. The League has been

intervening in this issue for a long time, but no solution

about which all nations can agree has yet been made.

Mussolini has demanded an apology from the

Abyssinians for the WalWal incident that took place in

December 1934 as he thinks only Abyssinia is to blame.

Italy tried to invade Abyssinia before but failed and

(Mussolini delivering one his speeches)

21

Mussolini is now determined to show Italy’s strength. The Italians feel that they did not get a fair share

of territory after the First World War.

The invasion has been recognized as an encroachment of another nation’s lands and a violation of

international treaties. However, both Italy and Ethiopia are members of the League so they must come

up with solutions which will fulfill the demands of both their member nations. The Abyssinia crisis has

not only brought Ethiopia and Italy into international headlines, but has also brought the League of

Nations itself under deep inspection. The failure to solve this crisis might encourage other countries to

choose aggression over diplomacy leading an already hostile world into another world war.

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Current Situation

In July 1935, the League banned the sale of arms and ammunitions to both nations and in September

(the month before this simulation), the League appointed a five-power committee to arbitrate. The

invasion not only harms Abyssinia in every possible field but also violates several treaties and may result

in the failure of the League of Nations as well.

The Violation of Treaties

Italo-Ethiopian Treaty of 1928

To alleviate the tension between Italy and Ethiopia, the League of Nations on August 2, 1928, proposed

a treaty known as the Italo-Ethiopian Treaty (Italo–Ethiopian Treaty of Friendship and Arbitration). Both

nations signed. The League of Nations’ primary goals for this treaty were the following:

Declare a 20-year friendship between Italy and Abyssinia

Acknowledge Ethiopia’s Red Sea port Asseb and Italy’s colony of Eritrea.

Make the two nations to collaborate in making infrastructure linking their cities.

Demarcate the 21-league border along the coast of Benadir of Italian Somaliland and Abyssinia.

The failure of this treaty seemed inevitable when it was unable to prevent the Walwal incident or the

invasion of Abyssinia by Italy. The League of Nations was unable to successfully enforce this treaty.

Kellogg-Briand Pact

The Kellogg-Briand Pact was sponsored by the United States and France. Like many member countries,

both Italy and Ethiopia were signatories. Its main purpose was to avoid international war and to stop

aggression using diplomacy and communication. However, both Ethiopia’s military movement against

Walwal and the invasion of Italy of Abyssinia are acts of military aggression. Even though both nations

had an international obligation to abide by the Kellogg-Briand Pact, both violated it.

(Comics represented by the press)

23

Proposed solutions

This is the second aggression that the League has had to deal with in this single decade. Such problems

seem to have their roots in border disputes and skirmishes. Thus a permanent solution is needed to

prevent such crises from escalating in the future.

Action against the perpetrator

As decided in the Covenant of the League of Nations, the first step in resolving this crisis is to deploy

economic and military sanctions against the perpetrator. This damage to the post-war effort that

economic sanctions pose and the fear of international isolation can force the attacker to withdraw.

Support from non-League nations may be sought in some cases

Establishment of a League of Nations peacekeeping force

In order to sort out aggressive actions arising out of border disputes it would be helpful to establish a

League of Nations peacekeeping force in order to act as a neutral party and help establish peace.

RBSMUN2014 Study Guide: League of Nations

Questions a Resolution Must Answer

The resolution needs to resolve not only the Abyssinian crisis but also lay down the foundation for

preventing future conflicts and aggression. As many nations as possible need to be part of the League

for it to be a success. A resolution must be drafted in order make such long-term goals possible.

1. How should Italian aggression in Abyssinia be stopped? Economic sanctions, military sanctions

or other solutions?

2. Should either pay compensation to the other for past actions?

3. Should a League of Nations peacekeeping force be developed? If so, how?

4. What provisions should there be regarding the involvement of non-League of Nations members?

Should the League of Nations provide support in such cases as well and, if so, how?

5. How can Germany and Italy be part of the League of Nations? What concessions or status

elevation could they be given?

25

Bloc Positions

Hitler and Mussolini (Germany and Italy)

Nazi Germany’s major ally in Europe politically and economically was Italy. Benito Mussolini was the

fascist leader of Italy. Since fascism embraces right-wing nationalism, Hitler considered this ideology as a

“big brother” of Nazism. Mussolini, however, did not regard Hitler highly: he thought he was too simple

and unrefined. But even with their differences Germany and Italy managed to cooperate.

France and Britain

Ever since World War I, Britain and France have been strong allies. Even during the Great Depression

that followed the war, they supported each other economically. These two countries were also the

pillars of the League of Nations. However during the Abyssinia crisis, their role as allies was more

cautious than firm as neither Britain nor France wanted Italy to join Germany. They were afraid that any

firm actions against Italy would only push Italy closer to Nazi Germany.

France and Italy

In January of 1935, Abyssinia asked the League to intervene. Italy ignored this intervention and did not

withdraw its solders. But instead of France (a prominent member of the League) taking firmer decisions,

France signed a treaty with Italy that allowed Italy to continue its conquest of Abyssinia provided that

Italy would support France against Germany.

Other League of Nations Members

The League of Nations on October 7, 1935, voted on the crisis in Abyssinia. It voted that Italy was the

aggressor and sided with Abyssinia. However, France had already made a pact with Italy and the other

minor members of the League were not economically strong enough to make an immediate impact on

the crisis.

Suggestions for further research

We must remind delegates that this study guide is, as its name indicates, simply a guide. It is not,

therefore, comprehensive in any way. Delegates are reminded to research through official news

websites that the UN considers for its use, for example, Reuters. The archives of news sites, and other

important websites like the History Magazine should be of good use. Delegates could also go beyond the

online sphere and refer to history books to enrich their knowledge and present authentic facts and

figures.

Closing remarks

Even though we have tried to make the study guide as comprehensive as

possible, we encourage delegates to conduct further research into the

RBSMUN2014 Study Guide: League of Nations

topic and their country’s position on it. We would like to inform delegates beforehand that your

performance will not be assessed on the number of times you take part in the debate, but on the

content of your remarks. We need not add that top-quality content ina speech can come only from prior

extensive research. Delegates are free to ask any queries regarding the topics, the committee, the

procedures, or the RBS MUN as a whole. Contact us at our email addresses.

Bibliography

Japanese Invasion of Manchuria

http://kjc-fs2.kjc.uni-heidelberg.de/omeka/after-the-enquiry-the-lytton-report

http://www.desertwar.net/lytton-report.html

http://www.timelines.ws/countries/MANCHURIA.HTML

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Manchuria#History_after_1860

http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/361449/Manchuria/4543/Manchuria-since-c-1900

http://www.historyorb.com/asia/manchuria.php

http://www.history.co.uk/study-topics/history-of-ww2/sino-japanese-war

http://scottvalentine.com/writings/Korean%20Studies/The%20Cause%20of%20and%20Events%20Leading.htm

http://history.state.gov/milestones/1899-1913/portsmouth-treaty

http://www.history.com

http://www.republicanchina.org/Japan_Twenty-one_Demands.pdf

http://www.infoplease.com/

http://www.princeton.edu/~achaney/tmve/wiki100k/docs/Kellogg-Briand_Pact.html

http://www.yale.edu/lawweb/avalon/imt/kbpact.htm

http://history.howstuffworks.com/asian-history/nine-power-treaty.htm

The Abyssinia crisis

http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/history/mwh/ir1/manchuriarev3.shtml

http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/405820/League-of-Nations

http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Why_did_Mussolini_want_to_invade_Abyssinia?#slide=8

http://www.glencoe.com/vaessentials/gwhmt/solswoa/GWHMT_VA_WHII.11c%20Student%20PDF%20attachment.pdf

27

http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/297461/Italo-Ethiopian-War

http://www.princeton.edu/~achaney/tmve/wiki100k/docs/First_Italo%E2%80%93Ethiopian_War.html

http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/297357/Italian-Somaliland

http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/history/mwh/ir1/manchuriarev4.shtml

RBSMUN2014 Study Guide: League of Nations