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History

The League's successes and failures

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The League of Nations has been commonly regarded in history as a dismal failure. Although it did suffer major failures during the 1920s and 1930s, its successes must not be overlooked and its drive to wipe out world disease was taken on by the United Nations and continues today.

Summary

In the 1920s, the League was very successful in its work for a better world - it took half-a-million PoWs [PoWs: Prisoners of War ] home, helped Turkish refugees, attacked slave traders and drug sellers, and supported measures against leprosy and malaria.

It was also quite successful in settling border disputes - for example, it settled a dispute between Sweden and Finland over the Aaland Islands, and stopped a war between Greece and Bulgaria.

However, when it was faced with a strong nation prepared to ignore it - for instance Italy in 1923 over Corfu - the League could do nothing.

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