Assess the effectiveness of the League of Nations to the maintenance of peace in Europe to 1939.The brainchild of Woodrow Wilson, the League of Nations was written into the Treaty of Versailles and was essentially an organisation designed to resolve international disputes, administer world justice and avoid future conflict. To this end, the League relied on the concept of collective security: if a member country was attacked, the rest of the League would treat the matter as an attack on them and would go to the aid of their fellow member. Both military force and trade sanctions could be imposed. In addition, great emphasis was also placed on universal disarmament and the pressure of public opinion.The League had various successes, which included settling a dispute between Finland and Sweden over the land Islands in 1920, ending Yugoslavias invasion of Albania in 1921, and helping to avoid all-out war between Greece and Bulgaria in 1925.The League also had a significant and positive impact with the Refugee Organisation, the Health Organisation and the International Labour Organization. In addition, the League also effectively administered the Saar region of Germany and the city of Danzig, in Poland.The Leagues inherent flaws undermined its authority; members did not always agree, nationalism overshadowed the notion of internationalism, and the League lacked a military force. In addition, some powerful countries were not members; America was never a member; Germany was only a member from 1926-33; the USSR was excluded until 1934; and Japan and Italy left the League in 1933 and 1937 respectively. Furthermore, in the absence of the United States the League was dominated by Britain and France. France wanted a strong military alliance while Britain refused to commit troops to conflicts and was more focused on internal problems. Moreover, decisions were made by the League Council, which was dominated by permanent members France, Britain, Italy and Japan. The rule that Council decisions had to be unanimous made it extremely difficult for the League to make decisions in response to indiscretions.The 1931 Japanese invasion of fellow League member Manchuria was the first major crisis to face the League but no action was taken, highlighting the Leagues ineffectiveness and the collapse of collective security. The League publicly criticised Japan, but Japan refused to accept such criticism and left the League two years later.Having formed an anti-German Stresa Front with Britain and France in 1935, Mussolinis ambitions for a colonial empire and dominance of the Mediterranean region were too great and resulted in an invasion of Abyssinia in 1935-36. The League attempted to publicly condemn Italy and apply economic sanctions, but oil was exempted because the Allies feared Italy would just purchase oil from America, who was following its isolationist policy at this time. Britain and France did not want to push Italy too hard because they wished to avoid upsetting Mussolini, which could possibly push him towards an alliance with Germany. As such, the League failed to protect Abyssinia, which was defeated and occupied. Italy then joined with Germany and Japan to form an Anti-Comintern Pact and withdrew from the League in 1937. The Leagues credibility was destroyed and all confidence in its ability to settle disputes and avoid war was shattered.When Civil war broke out in Spain in 1936 between elements of the Spanish army led by General Franco and Spains Republican Socialist Government, Italy and Germany intervened on the side of General Franco while the Soviet Union intervened on the side of the Spanish Government. All three provided military advice as well as supplies; Germanys generals used the experience to develop and practise the devastating tactic of Blitzkrieg. Britain and France refused to get involved which meant the League took no action; Francos Nationalist forces claimed victory in 1939. For many, the Spanish Civil War is considered a dress rehearsal for the war that was then considered to be inevitable.Quite clearly, both the League of Nations and the concept of collective security had failed dismally in their aims to solve major international disputes and avoid the conflict which was now just around the corner. When war was declared in September 1939, no one bothered to even inform the League