Editor's Choice
How did the Great Depression complicate the work of the League of Nations?
Quick answer:
The Great Depression severely complicated the work of the League of Nations by exacerbating economic instability and fostering aggressive nationalism. Countries like Japan, Italy, and Germany turned to militarism and expansionism to address their economic woes, undermining international peace efforts. Additionally, the economic chaos and growing isolationism in the United States made international cooperation through the League difficult, as nations prioritized their economic survival over collective security and global governance efforts.
During the Great Depression, the Japanese economy was in dire straits, as exports had dropped by 50%. To help the economy, the Japanese Prime Minister, Tsuyoshi, turned to the production of weapons and armaments. When Tsuyoshi decided to cut back on armaments production, he was assassinated in 1932. At that point, the army took control of Japan and pursued a path of conquest in search of more raw materials. In addition, Italy under Mussolini increased the size of its army to combat unemployment during the Great Depression. Mussolini also took over countries such as Abyssinia to build an empire that could provide Italy with raw materials. In Germany, the American loans that had helped the country pay reparations after World War I were stopped in 1928, sending the German economy into a tailspin. As a result, people were drawn to Fascism and Hitler, who, after becoming Chancellor in 1933, embarked on...
Unlock This Answer Now
Start your 48-hour free trial and get ahead in class. Boost your grades with access to expert answers and top-tier study guides. Thousands of students are already mastering their assignments—don't miss out. Cancel anytime.
Already a member? Log in here.
a program to conquer other countries. Under Hitler, Germany ceased following the terms of the Treaty of Versailles. In these ways, the Great Depression made it difficult for the League of Nations to function.
Fundamentally, the League of Nations was a difficult concept to enforce. The basic idea of a world government organization is a challenge to implement and create in a politically sustainable manner. This was compounded during the Great Depression. The economic chaos that enveloped so many nations, in particular the United States, made international commitments difficult, if not impossible, to maintain. Add to this the growing isolationism that ended up becoming embraced by the United States public after World War I already made participation in the League of Nations a fundamental problem. The economic fragmentation that resulted in the Great Depression almost made isolationism an accepted reality in America. Lack of economic security, employment opportunities, as well as the general feel of material claustrophobia made international issues dwindle and wither away. There was a lack of coherent effort in serving in a communally international League of Nations when there was so much of an economic challenge in the lives of so many in America. Economics trumped the idealism of the League of Nations during the Great Depression. This made a concept whose embrace was weak, tenuous, and impossible to fully support impossible during the Great Depression.