Which event demonstrated the League of Nations' inaction and involved Japan's seizure of Manchuria?

• A. Suez Crisis
• B. Munich Agreement
• C. Korean War
• D. Manchurian Crisis

Answer: (D)

This question is about the League of Nations’ ability to respond to aggression. The Manchurian Crisis shows why the League is often described as ineffective: when Japan invaded Manchuria in 1931–32, the League condemned the action and set up the Lytton Commission, which concluded that Japan had violated international law. Yet those findings carried little clout. The League lacked its own armed forces and depended on unanimous agreement and the willingness of major powers to act, which wasn’t there. With Britain and France reluctant to take strong measures and the United States not in the League, meaningful enforcement didn’t happen. Manchuria remained under Japanese control, and Japan eventually left the League in 1933. This event is a clear example of the League’s inability to stop aggression, illustrating why its ability to enforce collective security was so limited.