League of Nations Union Collected Records

The League of Nations Union was formed on October 13, 1918 by the joining of the League of Nations Society with the Free Nations Society. The League of Nations Society began in 1916 with the purpose of examining the forms of international organization that would be possible at the end of WWI. It lobbied for an agreement among countries that would serve as a basis for permanent peace by providing for settlement of disputes, mutual defense, and the observance of international treaties. The League of Nations Union was from the beginning a highly influential organization, unlike its predecessors, with an imposing list of supporters. It became one of the most influential peace organizations yet known in Great Britain. The League's purpose was to win public support for the League of Nations by educating the public about it, and by helping to make practical its aims. It maintained a large office in London, and a corps of organizers and speakers toured the country. In addition, its propaganda was distributed to nearly every school, church, social and political group possible. The peak of the League's activity was represented by the Peace Ballot of 1935, when voters were asked to vote on five issues, the most important being those concerning international disarmament and collective security. Over 11 million people participated in the ballot, expressing an unmistakable desire for peaceful negotiation of international differences. The results of the Peace Ballot were publicized worldwide. The influence of the League waned during WWII, and in 1946 it merged into the already formed United Nations Association of Great Britain. Previously the League had been a member of the International Federation of League of Nations Societies, which had its headquarters in Brussels, Belgium.