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Which international organisation is often described as 'a child of war', having been created after the First World War?
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Answer: Option B — League of Nations
Detailed Solution
The League of Nations is often called "a child of war" because it was created after the First World War (1914-1918), as part of the peace settlement, to prevent future wars.
About the League of Nations:
It was proposed by US President Woodrow Wilson in his "Fourteen Points" (January 1918). The last point called for "a general association of nations".
Its Covenant (charter) was part of the Treaty of Versailles, signed in 1919.
It came into existence on 10 January 1920.
Its headquarters was in Geneva, Switzerland, at the Palace of Nations.
It had 42 founding members; at its largest (1934-35) it had 58 members.
India was a founding member, although it was then a British colony.
The USA never joined, because the US Senate refused to ratify the Treaty of Versailles.
Its main organs were the Assembly, the Council and the Secretariat. Related bodies included the Permanent Court of International Justice and the International Labour Organization.
Why it failed:
- It had no armed forces of its own and depended on its members to enforce its decisions.
- Major powers left or were absent: Japan and Germany left in 1933, and Italy left in 1937.
- It failed to stop aggression, such as Japan's invasion of Manchuria (1931) and Italy's invasion of Ethiopia (Abyssinia, 1935).
- It could not prevent the Second World War (1939-1945).
- It was formally dissolved on 20 April 1946, and its assets were transferred to the United Nations.
The UN as a successor:
The United Nations was also created after a war (the Second World War). It came into existence on 24 October 1945.
The UN's founders tried to avoid the League's weaknesses, for example by giving the Security Council stronger powers and its permanent members a veto.
Why not the other options?
- ✗The United Nations was created after the Second World War, in 1945.
- ✗NATO is a military alliance formed in 1949.
- ✗The Commonwealth of Nations developed from the British Empire; its modern form dates from 1949.
Quick tip
Remember: League of Nations = "child of war" (after WWI; Wilson's Fourteen Points; Covenant in the Treaty of Versailles 1919; began 10 January 1920; HQ Geneva; USA never joined; dissolved 1946); UN = 24 October 1945.
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World GK: Countries, Capitals & Currencies — Preparation
This question tests your understanding of World GK: Countries, Capitals & Currencies, a key topic in the General Knowledge section. The detailed solution above uses a step-by-step approach to show the reasoning, and where available, a shortcut that helps you solve similar questions in under 90 seconds during the actual exam.
This topic covers world GK: countries with their capitals, currencies and parliaments, national symbols, famous landmarks, the longest, largest and highest features of the world, and international boundary lines such as the Radcliffe, McMahon and Durand Lines. The most common questions match a country with its capital or currency, or a parliament with its name (such as the Knesset of Israel or the Diet of Japan). Revise countries continent by continent, giving extra attention to India's neighbours. Questions on boundary lines usually ask which two countries a line separates. Practise the world GK questions below, written in the style of the general awareness sections of exams such as SSC, banking, railways, CUET GAT, MAH CET and CLAT. Each question comes with a detailed explanation that adds related facts, so every question helps you revise more than one point.