The League of Nations is established

Date: 10 Jan 1920
Updated: 9 Dec 2019

The League of Nations, an international organisation founded as a result of the Treaty of Versailles in 1919-1920, convened and met for the first time in London. The League's goals included disarmament, preventing war through collective security, settling disputes between countries through negotiation, diplomacy and improving global welfare. The idea originated in the minds of several statesmen, including President Woodrow Wilson of the United States and General J.C. Smuts of South Africa. Smuts gave substance to the vague aspirations in a paper later published as The League of Nations, a practical suggestion and served on the committee which drafted the covenant of the League in 1919 at the Treaty of Versailles. South Africa was one of the founding members of the League.

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How we know this

01Kruger, D.W. (ed) (1972). Dictionary of South African Biography, Cape Town: Human Sciences Research Council, v. 1, p. 744.
02Muller, C.F.J. (ed) (1981). Five Hundred years: a history of South Africa; 3rd rev. ed., Pretoria: Academica, p. 405.

Last updated · 9 Dec 2019

Cite this entry

South African History Online. (2011, March 16). The League of Nations is established. South African History Online. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0011420

South African History Online (2011) 'The League of Nations is established', South African History Online, 16 March. Available at: https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0011420 (Accessed: 19 August 2026).

South African History Online, The League of Nations is established [website], https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0011420, (accessed 19 August 2026).

"The League of Nations is established." South African History Online, 16 Mar. 2011, https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0011420. Accessed 19 Aug. 2026.

South African History Online. "The League of Nations is established." South African History Online. March 16, 2011. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0011420.