The League of Nations, International Terrorism, and British Foreign Policy, 1934–1938

This book examines the League of Nations, state-supported terrorism, and British foreign policy after the rise of Hitler in the 1930s. It argues that with strong leadership from Britain and France, the League made it possible for states to preserve the peace of Europe after terrorists aided by Italy and Hungary killed the King of Yugoslavia in 1934. This achievement represents the League at its most effective and demonstrates that the organization could carry out its peacekeeping functions. The League also made it possible to draft two international conventions to suppress and punish acts of terrorism. While both conventions were examples of productive collaboration, in the end, few governments supported the League's anti-terrorism project in itself. Still, for Britain, Geneva served the cause of peace by helping states to settle their differences by mediation and concession while promoting international cooperation, a central conviction of British "appeasement" policy in the 1930s.-- Publisher's website Annotation This book examines the League of Nations, state-supported terrorism, and British foreign policy after the rise of Hitler in the 1930s. It argues that with strong leadership from Britain and France, the League made it possible for states to preserve the peace of Europe after terrorists aided by Italy and Hungary killed the King of Yugoslavia in 1934. This achievement represents the League at its most effective and demonstrates that the organization could carry out its peacekeeping functions. The League also made it possible to draft two international conventions to suppress and punish acts of terrorism. While both conventions were examples of productive collaboration, in the end, few governments supported the League's anti-terrorism project in itself. Still, for Britain, Geneva served the cause of peace by helping states to settle their differences by mediation and concession while promoting international cooperation, a central conviction of British "appeasement" policy in the 1930s Front Matter ....Pages i-x Introduction (Michael D. Callahan)....Pages 1-13 “The Chief Danger in Europe at Present” (Michael D. Callahan)....Pages 15-39 “The Most Stupid of Political Crimes” (Michael D. Callahan)....Pages 41-66 “A War Before the War” (Michael D. Callahan)....Pages 67-90 “Can We Do Something to Dissuade Yugoslavia?” (Michael D. Callahan)....Pages 91-117 “The Existence and Effective Use of the League of Nations” (Michael D. Callahan)....Pages 119-147 “Acts Specifically ‘Terrorist’ in Character” (Michael D. Callahan)....Pages 149-175 “If Eden Gives Way We Are Lost” (Michael D. Callahan)....Pages 177-205 “A Running-Away from a Sort of Gentleman’s Understanding” (Michael D. Callahan)....Pages 207-232 Conclusion (Michael D. Callahan)....Pages 233-240 Back Matter ....Pages 241-317