The league of nations and its idea of collective security failed, mainly due to the absence of major problems and the actions of its main members. The league was not inherently flawed but was doomed to fail due to problems and bad choices that occurred when the league was made. The responsibility lies in the major powers who failed to uphold collective security.
From its origin, the league took a harsh blow when the united states rejected the invitation to the league. After World War one the U.S was the greatest economically stable power and the League needed that stability to survive, without the help of the U.S the league’s main defence which was economic sanctions meant close to nothing. When the league was created the Leaders decided that Germany and Soviet Russia would not be allowed in, this created Tension between the new communist power and the western world, it made the USSR think that the league of nations was a capitalist club with greedy intentions. Germany took it as another punishment and helped pave the way for revenge. In the 1920’s and 1930’s several events took place that led up the downfall of the league, in 1923 after germany failed to pay reparations , france took it upon themselves to punish the germans by invading the ruhr region, the league’s response was a futile attempt at an economic sanction which did not affect france. In the months following the occupation the german economy was destroyed, and the german people were left with hate. In 1931 during the great depression Japan looked into china for resources, the Japanese imperial army set up a small explosion on there own railroad in order to attack the manchurian region. When the chinese appealed to the league, it was decided that japan should leave the region, Japan ignored the request and left the league, the league should have followed with military action to force Japan to leave but they did nothing. In 1935 looking to expand their empire, Mussolini invaded Abyssinia, the League banned weapon sales and put sanctions on rubber and metal but it did not affect Italy,
