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I am delighted to welcome you to the first Virginia Tech Model United Nations
Conference. I feel honored to serve as your Chair of the 1923 League of Nations Committee! As
a freshman at Virginia Tech, this conference will be my first collegiate chairing experience.
While I am a Physics and English double major, I am like many of you: fascinated with and
passionate about international politics. Thorough research and experience for Model United
Nations conferences have allowed me to develop understanding and perspective about past,
present, and future crises alike, and I am thrilled to share these experiences with you at Virginia
Tech.
The 1923 League of Nations Committee is critical in understanding much of the world
around us. As you will read in the background guide, there were several reasons for why the
League of Nations was needed. The League was successful in accomplishing a number of tasks;
for example, the League of Nations did effectively bring social progress for women and children.
Despite some success stories, we must recognize its failures, and there are many. While it is
typically best to move past failures, it is important to realize the reasons for their demise. If we
are not careful and observant of the past, we set ourselves up for repeated mistakes.
I am eager to begin our sessions and hear what each of you have discovered. Best of luck
in your research!
Best regards,
BACKGROUND GUIDE
In 1453, the reign of the Ottoman Empire began its rise when Sultan Mehmed II
Through the 1500s, the Ottoman Empire began acquiring land across Asia and Africa
(Britannica). Its expansion towards Europe, however, was thwarted at the Battle of
Vienna in 1683, and the Ottoman Empire began to decline (BBC). In the early 1910s, the
Ottoman Territory fought two separate battles in 1912 and 1913 in what is called the
Balkin Wars, and the conflicts resulted in significant lost territory (Bayar). Despite
engaging in the Balkin Wars shortly before, the Ottoman Empire signed a secret treaty in
1914 with the German Empire. The treaty committed the Ottoman Empire to the Central
Powers against the Allies during World War I. The Ottoman Empire, however, did not
win, and it ended its war against the Allies in 1918 (Cosar). The Ottoman Empire
accepted the 1918 Mudros Armistice and the subsequent Treaty of Sevres (Bayar)
Whereas the Ottoman Empire acknowledged the Treaty of Sevres, the National
Movement rejected it, and the group launched its surrogate government in Ankara
(Cosar). While the Ottoman Empire was on the decline, it was during World War I that
the severity of its loosening grip became most obvious. During and after World War I,
starvation and deprivation were rampant among the general population, and illnesses,
Virginia Tech Model United Nations Conference November 3rd-5th, 2017
such as cholera and typhoid, became epidemics throughout the empire (Polat). Realizing
a need, the Ottoman Empire expanded its conditions needed for assistance to include:
however, despite the expansion, little relief was given to the public (Polat). The alternate
government sought to correct the issue by focusing on working for the people with the
people. As a result of two conflicting government heads, a revolutionary war soon broke
out. The war became very bloody, and as many as 40,000 died in total from the war. An
estimated 1.4 million refugees came from the crisis, and ultimately, the burden was
moved to the United Nations to address the humanitarian crisis (University of Central
Arkansas).
efforts to address the refugee crisis, several third party organizations such as the Red Cross,
International Union for Child Welfare,and the Turkish Red Crescent lent a hand. Even though
extensive efforts and resources were used by third party organizations, those resources were
insufficient as the number of refugees was too large (The Turkish-Greek Conflict). In a
resolution, delegates should address how the responsibility of handling the refugee crisis would
be delegated upon states and third party organizations. Delegates should also address protocol to
deal with redistribution of relief aid among refugees and minority that were displaced.
"The Turkish-Greek Conflict (1919-1923)." International Committee of Red Cross. ICRC, 2005.
Turkish government?
B When should the League of Nations step in during the revolutionary war, if at all? What role
pandemic?
Virginia Tech Model United Nations Conference November 3rd-5th, 2017
Topic 2: The dispute between Italy and Greece and ending the occupation in Corfu
A. General Background:
While the Treaty of London granted Albanian independence in 1913 and the
International Boundary Commission drew Albanian borders in 1914, Greece and Albania
had not quite solved the exact border, and the two disputed the location (Kane). Seeing no
resolution in sight, they went to the Conference of Ambassadors, who were permitted to
draw boundary lines and end the dispute. The Conference of Ambassadors created a
commission of British, French, and Italian officials to determine the boundary. However,
even from the beginning, Greek relations with the commission were sour, and Greece
believe that the chairman of the Commission (Enrico Tellini) was being unfair to them
(Kane).
On August 27th, 1923, the tensions reached their climax: Tellini and four others in
his party were murdered near Ioannina. While some speculated that Greek nationalists
were responsible, the Greek government stated that rather it was the work of Albanian
bandits, despite not having anything stolen (Kane). Two days later, Italy demanded seven
conditions be met, including the payment of 50 million and the execution of the culprits.
However, Greece refused to give money for a crime they did not commit and denied
knowing the identities of the murderers. Italian leader Benito Mussolini sent troops and
Virginia Tech Model United Nations Conference November 3rd-5th, 2017
bombed the small Greek island of Corfu in response on August 31st; the action resulted
As noted, the conflict between Italy and Greece was started under tense relations
to begin, so delegates should pay close attention to how that relationship became
estranged. Delegates should also investigate how to effectively mend tensions through
financial and/or trade incentives. This includes, but is not limited to: implementing loans
and free trade, or, conversely, tax tariffs and embargoes. They should be willing to
negotiate with both sides for peace, although they may lean towards one more than
another. Overall, all delegates might also highlight how to address future land concerns in
the future.
A. Question 1: Why was Greeces relationship with Tellini so poor, and how did that
B. Question 2: What demands did Italy make of Greece? What demands were
B. Question 2: How should the League of Nations respond to Greek and/or Italian
appeals?
C. Question 3: How might the League of Nations resolve future land disputes to prevent
Works Cited:
Barros, James. The Corfu Incident of 1923: Mussolini and the League of Nations. Princeton,
Kane, Robert. War in the Balkans : An Encyclopedic History from the Fall of the Ottoman
Empire to the Breakup of Yugoslavia. N.p.: ABC-CLIO, LLC, 2014. Summons. Web. 26 Nov.
2016.
Virginia Tech Model United Nations Conference November 3rd-5th, 2017