World War I was called the "war to end all wars," leading to the creation of the League of Nations in January 1920, an international body championed by U.S. President Woodrow Wilson to prevent future conflicts. But despite the American president's efforts, the United States never joined.
When the League's Assembly first met, it had just over 40 founding members. Over time, a total of 63 nations joined, though no more than 60 were members at any given time. But with a system requiring unanimity and other structural weaknesses, the League ultimately proved ineffective, collapsing when Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union invaded Poland in 1939.
Like many idealistic efforts throughout history, the League of Nations teetered for years before its final collapse at the end of World War II. Ironically, two of its most powerful members, Great Britain and France, undermined it by bypassing the League for self-serving actions, setting the stage for its failure.
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