1930s there was a world-wide economic depression. Japan tried to overcome the depression by building up
an empire. In 1932, the Japanese army invaded Manchuria and threw out the Chinese. They set up their own
government there and called it Manchoukuo. China asked the League to help.
response from League
Lord Lytton to study the problem (this took a
year). In February 1933 it ordered Japan to leave
Manchuria. Moral condemnation
The outcome
Japan refused to leave Manchuria. Instead, Japan left the League. Many countries had important trading links
with Japan. The League could not agree on sanctions or even a ban on weapons sales. Britain and France
did not want a war, so nothing was done.