How successful was the league of nations in the 1920's? This essay analyses the problems and difficulties of the first attempt of a world security organization

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How successful was the league in the 1920's?

The League of Nations main aim was in: "stopping wars, improving people's lives and jobs, in encouraging disarmament and in enforcing the decisions made in the peace Treaty of Versailles."

If we consider the above statement to judge the successes of the league, we may say that when the League was called to settle a quarrel in the 1920s, it has always been quite successful.

The most important successes where obtained in stopping disputes between bordering countries to develop into open war. Their first success was in Silesia in 1921, when they resolved a dramatic situation by issuing a plebiscite to decide the division of land between Germany and Poland.

Also in 1921 it arbitrated between Sweden and Finland over their disputes for the Aaland Islands. After a careful study it was formulated that the island belonged to Finland - both countries accepted this.

When the League rejected Turkey's claim to the region of Mosul in Iraq (which was a British mandate), Turkey agreed.

At last, when Greece invaded Bulgaria in 1925, the League commanded Greece to withdraw their army. They succeeded without further life-losses

The peak point in the League's work was obtained by signing the Kellogg-Briand Pact in 1928, which was an Act formulated by the League's Assembly which outlawed war and was supported by the great number of 65 nations.

We should not forget that the League made also great efforts in socio-economic deals improving many people's lives. It brought 400,000 Prisoners of War home, set up refugee camps in Greece after the 1922 war between Turkey and Greece.

All this happened through the Health Committee, which worked against leprosy and malaria. Also considering other works, the league closed down four Swiss companies that were selling drugs in...