What this lesson teaches
I can judge how well the League of Nations kept the peace through collective security in the 1920s.
Syllabus K336, After World War I, Learning Outcomes. Assess the attempts at collective security in the 1920s and its outcomes.
Make a guess
In 1923 Italy bombarded and occupied the Greek island of Corfu. What do you think the result was?
- Italy kept Corfu and made it part of its territory.
- Italy left, but only after Greece was made to pay it compensation.
- The League imposed sanctions and forced Italy out within days.
Show the answer
Italy left, but only after Greece was made to pay it compensation.
The dispute was settled outside the League's full control. A powerful country used force and still gained.
The League settled the Aland Islands dispute peacefully in 1921, but in Corfu in 1923 Italy used force and still got paid.
Finland and Sweden both claimed the Aland Islands. In 1921, the League decided the islands would stay part of Finland. It also protected the islanders' Swedish language and self-government, and banned military use of the islands. Both countries accepted, so the dispute ended without war.
In 1925, the League also helped end a border clash between Greece and Bulgaria. These successes show the League could stop disputes growing into wars when countries accepted its role.
Corfu in 1923 showed a different problem. Italian officials were killed near the Greek-Albanian border. Italy's leader, Mussolini, bombarded and occupied the Greek island of Corfu. Greece appealed to the League. But the dispute was handled by the Conference of Ambassadors, a separate body of the major Allied powers. Italy withdrew after Greece paid compensation.
The occupation ended, but Italy was paid after using force. This was coercion: using threats or force to make another country give in. It weakened the idea that powerful members had to obey the same rules as everyone else. Compare the two cases. At Aland, willing cooperation made a peaceful deal possible. At Corfu, a powerful state avoided the League, so fair enforcement failed.
- Aland Islands, 1921
- League gives them to Finland; both sides accept.
- Greece-Bulgaria, 1925
- League helps end a border clash.
- Corfu, 1923
- Italy occupies Corfu and Greece pays compensation.
Worked example: What counts as success at Corfu?
A student writes: Corfu was a success because Italy left.
- Did the occupation end? Yes, Italy left.
- Was aggression discouraged? No. Greece paid Italy after Italy used force.
- Say what you mean by success, then weigh both results.
Watch out for this
The League failed in the 1920s because Japan invaded Manchuria.
Manchuria was in 1931. In the 1920s, the League had successes like Aland and setbacks like Corfu.
Check your understanding
Why was Aland a League success?
- The League sent an army to force Sweden out.
- Italy withdrew after being paid.
- Both Finland and Sweden accepted the League's decision.
Show the answer
Both Finland and Sweden accepted the League's decision.
Yes. Willing cooperation made a peaceful deal possible.
Check your understanding
Why did the League succeed over the Aland Islands (1921) but fail over Corfu (1923)?
- In Aland both sides accepted its ruling; over Corfu, Italy refused and the powers would not act.
- The USA joined the League between the two disputes and blocked action against Italy.
- It had its own small army in 1921 but had disbanded it to save money by 1923.
Show the answer
In Aland both sides accepted its ruling; over Corfu, Italy refused and the powers would not act.
The League worked when states cooperated and failed when a great power did not.