France and the League of Nations
Historical French foreign relations / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
France and the League of Nations was a major theme of French foreign policy in the 1920s and 1930s. France and the United Kingdom were the two dominant players in world affairs and in League affairs, and usually were in agreement.[1] The League proved ineffective in resolving major problems. In 1945 it was replaced with the United Nations, where France played a major role despite its much weaker status. However in the 1920s and 1930s the main themes of French foreign policy focused on defense against Germany, and took place outside of League jurisdiction.[2][3]
France played a significant role in the League of Nations, though its influence and commitment to the organization was complex. France was one of the founding members of the League of Nations and was represented on the League's Council as a permanent member. As a major Allied power in World War I, France was instrumental in the creation of the League and the drafting of its Covenant.[4]
However, France's relationship with the League was often strained. While six members of the British Empire belonged to the League, Paris did not permit any of its colonies to join. France was wholly consumed with European affairs, and in its League work it largely ignored the affairs of Asia or Africa. France in the 1920s supported the League's mission of collective security and disarmament and supported all the major decisions.[5]
However in the 1930s it became disillusioned as the League failed to prevent the aggressions of Japan, Hitler's Germany and Mussolini's Italy . France's leaders prioritized appeasement of these aggressors over upholding the League's principles, contributing to the organization's decline.[6]