woodrow wilson’s attempt to create world...
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Woodrow Wilson’s Attempt to Create World Peace
The Fourteen Points, Treaty of Versailles, and League of Nations
Woodrow Wilson’s Attempt to Create World Peace
6 April 1917: The United States declared war on Germany
By June 1917: At least 14,000 American troops were in France
25 Oct 1917: First American Casualties occurred in the First Inf Div
8 Jan 1918: Woodrow Wilson presented his blueprint for peace to Congress
This “program of the world’s peace . . . is our program . . the only
possible program, as we see it . . . .
Woodrow Wilson’s Attempt to Create World Peace
“The Fourteen Points”
Goal #1
Eliminate the Causes of War
Goal #2
Ensure the Right to Political Self-Determination
Goal #3
Protect Territorial Integrity
Woodrow Wilson’s Attempt to Create World Peace
“The Fourteen Points”
Point #1
Countries should not make secret treaties and alliances
Secret Alliances had been a main cause of World War I
Point #2
Freedom of the Seas in times of Peace and War
Unrestricted Submarine Warfare had drawn the U.S. into WWI
Woodrow Wilson’s Attempt to Create World Peace
“The Fourteen Points”
Point #3
Free trade among countries to promote economic growth and reduce
trade conflicts in the future
Point #4
Countries need to reduce their military power and weapons
stockpiles
Militarism had been a main cause of World War I
Woodrow Wilson’s Attempt to Create World Peace
“The Fourteen Points”
Point #5
Consider the desires and rights of colonial people when creating
a more peaceful world
Imperialism had been a main cause of World War I
Points #6 thru 13
Restoring land taken from countries during the War
Redrawing boundaries based on Self-Determination
Woodrow Wilson’s Attempt to Create World Peace
“The Fourteen Points”
Point #14
Establishment of a “General Association of Nations” known as
the League of Nations
Designed to resolve conflicts before they escalate into war
Marked an unprecedented entry of the United States into European affairs
“The Fourteen Points”
A Further departure from America’s traditional foreign policy of isolation and non-intervention
Woodrow Wilson’s Attempt to Create World Peace
“The Treaty of Versailles”
Jan 1919: The “Big Four” met at the Palace of Versailles for the
Paris Peace Conference
President Wilson presented “The Fourteen Points” for their consideration
The European leaders were more focused on self-interests
than on Wilson’s Plan
Woodrow Wilson’s Attempt to Create World Peace
“The Treaty of Versailles”
France’s Georges Clemenceau:
Hoped to weaken Germany to the point that it could never threaten France again
England’s David Lloyd George:
Insisted that Germany accept responsibility for starting the war
But he also warned:
That too harsh a treaty might cause increased hostilities in the future
THE TERMS
OF THE TREATY OF
VERSAILLES
1919
WAR GUILT CLAUSE
GERMAN NATIONAL TERRITORY
GERMANY’S MILITARY
FORCES REDUCED
GERMAN OVERSEAS
TERRITORRIES
NO UNION WITH AUSTRIA
REPARATIONS
Germany had to accept
blame for starting WW1
- Army restricted to
100,000 men.
- No modern weapons
such as tanks, military air
force.
- Navy could not have
battle ships over 10,000
tons and no U-Boats.
- Germany lost national territory which was given
to Belgium and Denmark, most went to Poland.
Germany lost Chinese
ports of Amoy and
Tsingtao, Pacific
Islands, and African
colonies of Tanganika
and German SW Africa.
RHINELAND TO BE DE-MILITARISED
Germany forced to pay
massive fine for war
damages - 1,000,000,000
Marks (6.6bn pounds).
The Treaty was designed to cripple Germany militarily, territorially and economically
Woodrow Wilson’s Attempt to Create World Peace
Woodrow Wilson’s Attempt to Create World Peace
“The Treaty of Versailles”
1914 1919
Woodrow Wilson’s Attempt to Create World Peace
“The Treaty of Versailles”
Woodrow Wilson Compromises:
He reluctantly agreed to the treaty due to the devastating losses experienced by his European allies and the huge sum of U.S.
loans that needed to be repaid
Woodrow Wilson’s Attempt to Create World Peace
“The Treaty of Versailles”
Problems with Ratifying the Treaty
• Required a 2/3 majority vote from the U.S.
Senate
A group of Republicans, known as Irreconcilables” were bitter rivals of the President and refused to support the treaty.
A larger group of Republicans, led by Senator Henry Cabot Lodge, opposed the power of the League of Nations to make war without a vote from Congress.
Woodrow Wilson’s Attempt to Create World Peace
“The Treaty of Versailles”
• President Wilson decided to try and gain public support for the treaty by going on
a nationwide speaking tour
• He traveled over 8,000 miles making at least four speeches a day
• After a collapse during the tour, the President returned to Washington
where he had a stroke
• In the end, Partisan Politics in Congress and the President’s refusal to compromise, led to the end of
any chance to ratify the Treaty of Versailles
Woodrow Wilson’s Attempt to Create World Peace
“The League of Nations”
• President Wilson’s idea of a “General Association of Nations” for World Peace
• Intended to be an organization that would allow disputes to be settled
without resorting to war
Different ideologies on the Leagues purpose arose:
A world parliament where representatives would meet regularly to decide on matter which affected all of them
A simple organisation that would meet periodically (once a year) or during emergencies to address global problems
A strong League capable of enforcing its decisions with its own army and navy
Woodrow Wilson’s Attempt to Create World Peace
“The League of Nations”
• Each Nation’s idea had its advantages and disadvantages
Although France’s idea of a strong League would mean it could be an effective force, the League was meant to be centred on peace. Potentially, its own army could provoke another war
Britain’s simpler idea would mean that the League would merely deal with emergencies rather than work on preventing them from occurring in the first place
America’s version of the League would be expensive and complicated to organise, although it might have been the most effective version in terms of keeping world peace
Woodrow Wilson’s Attempt to Create World Peace
“The League of Nations”
Unfortunately, the idea of the League of Nation didn’t appeal to many Americans
• Many Americans didn’t want to join the League of Nations because it was linked to the Treaty of Versailles, which they thought was unfair.
• Some Americans wanted to stay out of global disputes that might enter their troops into the kind of carnage of the first world war
• Others wanted to avoid the economic cost of joining the League
• Many Americans were anti-French or Anti-British and thought the League would be run by these countries. As a result they didn’t want to get involved in European affairs
Woodrow Wilson’s Attempt to Create World Peace
“The League of Nations”
Unfortunately, the idea of the League of Nation didn’t appeal to many Americans
When President Wilson’s party lost the election in 1919, his opponents promised to follow a policy of isolationism and stay out of international affairs. So America did not join the League of Nations…
Woodrow Wilson’s Attempt to Create World Peace
“The League of Nations”
• Discouraged aggression by any nation toward another
• Encouraged all nations to reduce military forces
• Encouraged cooperation in global business and trade
• Dedicated to improving global working and living conditions
Woodrow Wilson’s Attempt to Create World Peace
“The League of Nations”
• Initial reasons why the organization was flawed
America: Revived isolationists refused to become members
Germany: As a defeated country who was blamed for World War I, was not invited to join
Russia: Was not invited to join the League, mainly due to their Communist government
Woodrow Wilson’s Attempt to Create World Peace
“The League of Nations”
• Major reasons why the League of Nation was flawed
The League lacked a foundation of International Laws to help support its goals
The League lacked a dedicated Military Force to help enforce its decisions and prevent conflicts
The League failed to effectively prevent conflicts and was too slow to react when emergencies arose
The League’s key member nations were more concerned with their own self-interests than with upholding the goals of the organization