Question

How did the course of events during the Abyssinian crisis discredit the League of Nations and the idea of collective security?

Answer 1

1. Mussolini attacked Abyssinia in 1935. The League condemned Italy and introduced economic sanctions on rubber and metals, but it did not stop oil sales.
2. Most importantly, Britain did not close the Suez Canal to Italy, fearing that Italy might declare war on Britain – so Mussolini sent men and supplies to Abyssinia through the (British) Suez Canal and completed the conquest of Abyssinia without much inconvenience.
3. The main motive for Britain and France was not to antagonise Mussolini too much, so as to keep him an ally against the real danger – Germany.
4. Result - Mussolini annoyed by the sanctions began to draw closer to Hitler.
5. Small states lost all faith in the League.
6. Hitler was encouraged to break the Versailles Treaty by introducing conscription, remilitarizing the Rhineland.
7. None of these Hitler’s actions were mentioned in the League Council mainly because France and Britain were afraid that Hitler would reject any decision that went against Germany, and they were reluctant to be forced into military action against the Germans.
8. The Abyssinian Crisis exposed the policy of appeasement, the loophole in collective security and the self- interest of Britain and France. These flaws further led to the Rome-Berlin Axis in 1936.