To what extent was the League of Nations a success?
How Successful was the League in the 1920's?
In its first ten years the League dealt with thirty disputes between states. Now we need to look at some specific examples.
A. The Aland Islands
They are located between Sweden and Finland and both countries claimed them. Although 95% of the population was ethnic Swedes, the islands belonged to Finland. In June 1920, the dispute was referred to the Council of the League of Nations. The conclusion was that the island should stay under Finland's rule. This was because to ward the Aland islands to Sweden would set a dangerous precedent other Swedish communities living in Finland might make similar claims. Outside the area, other minority groups in Europe might want to do the same.
B. The Corfu incident, 1923
An Italian, General Tellini, and four of his assistants, who had been marking out the new boarder between Albania and Greece for the Conference of Ambassador's were murdered. The Greek authorities were unable to arrest anyone for the murder so in August 1923 Benito Mussolini, the Italian leader, ordered the occupation of the Greek island of Corfu to force the Greek government to compensate Italy for General Tellini's death. The council decided to send a commission to the Albanian-Greek boarder to investigate Tellini's death. The commission reported that it could find no evidence that Greece had failed to investigate the murder properly. As a result of Italian pressure, Greece was made to pay 50 million Lire as compensation. Two days later, the Italians began evacuating Corfu.
They are located between Sweden and Finland and both countries claimed them. Although 95% of the population was ethnic Swedes, the islands belonged to Finland. In June 1920, the dispute was referred to the Council of the League of Nations. The conclusion was that the island should stay under Finland's rule. This was because to ward the Aland islands to Sweden would set a dangerous precedent other Swedish communities living in Finland might make similar claims. Outside the area, other minority groups in Europe might want to do the same.
B. The Corfu incident, 1923
An Italian, General Tellini, and four of his assistants, who had been marking out the new boarder between Albania and Greece for the Conference of Ambassador's were murdered. The Greek authorities were unable to arrest anyone for the murder so in August 1923 Benito Mussolini, the Italian leader, ordered the occupation of the Greek island of Corfu to force the Greek government to compensate Italy for General Tellini's death. The council decided to send a commission to the Albanian-Greek boarder to investigate Tellini's death. The commission reported that it could find no evidence that Greece had failed to investigate the murder properly. As a result of Italian pressure, Greece was made to pay 50 million Lire as compensation. Two days later, the Italians began evacuating Corfu.
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