Peace

Lusitania Throughout the 19 th century, America’s foreign policy was based on the Monroe Doctrine. America would stay out of European politics and Europe would stay out of the Americas. In 1915, the Canadian passenger ship Lusitania was sunk by a German submarine. 128 Americans died. U.S. President Woodrow Wilson demanded the Germans stop unrestricted submarine warfare.

America Germany reluctantly agreed President Wilson based his 1916 reelection campaign on having kept the U.S. out of the Great War. But many Americans, including Wilson, saw the Great War a struggle between democracy (France and Britain) and imperialism (Germany and Austria-Hungary). Pressure began to grow on Wilson to join the Allies.

The Zimmerman Note Germany needed to cut off supplies to Britain to drive them out of the war. It needed its U-boats to do that, but resuming unrestricted submarine warfare would bring the U.S. into the war. In January 1917, German Foreign Minister Arnold Zimmerman sent a telegram to the German embassy in Mexico. It proposed an alliance, if the U.S. joined the war against Germany, Germany would help Mexico attack the U.S. and get back territory lost in the Mexican-American War. British spies intercepted the note and turned it over to the U.S. America joined the war. Mexico did not.

Armistice U.S. entry into the war balanced the withdrawal of Russia. U.S. troops were fresh and had higher morale, but they were also inexperienced and Germany could focus on a single front. In September 1918, Bulgaria surrendered. Then next month Austria-Hungary collapsed, with several regions declaring independence. But by the autumn of 1918, the German people had had enough. A communist revolution began, but it was derailed by the Social Democratic Party. The SDP helped bring about a moderate republic. The Kaiser abdicated. Germany signed an armistice at 11a.m. on the 11 th of November.

Treaty of Versailles Britain and France wanted to punish the Central Powers, especially Germany. They insisted the German empire be broken up, that Germany have to pay reparations, and Germany give up all territory it gained through the war. But they also wanted to punish Russia for making a separate peace. Instead of returning the territory to them, the treaty created new countries.

Wilson’s Fourteen Points No secret treaties Freedom of navigation of the seas Free trade Arms reduction Self-determination for colonies Self-determination for Russia Restoration of Belgian sovereignty Restoration of Alsace-Lorraine to France Nationalist borders for Italy Nationalist partition of Austria-Hungary Restoration of Romanian, Serbian, and Montenegran sovereignty Nationalist partition of the Ottoman Empire Polish sovereignty A League of Nations to settle international disputes.

A Peace Built on Quicksand The Treaty of Versailles placed limits on Germany’s military, but none on any other nation’s. The League of Nations charter forbade secret alliances, but how could this be enforced? Colonies became League of Nations Mandates, but were still colonies in all but name. Nationalism became the basis for redrawing the map of Europe. Additionally, Germany was burdened with crushing war reparations, the League lacked any real way to enforce its decisions or compel membership. Finally, the U.S. Congress refused to ratify Wilson’s signing of the League of Nations charter.