CHAPTER 19.4 WILSON FIGHTS FOR PEACE

WILSON’S 14 POINTS  Wilsons plan for peace  First five addressed the prevention of another war 1.No secret treaties among nations 2.Freedom of the seas for all 3.Economic barriers should be lowered or removed to support free trade 4.Military arms should be kept at the lowest minimum 5.Colonial policies should be best for those peoples and imperialistic interests  The next 8 were with boundary changes  His ideas were based on self determination (nations would decide for themselves where they belong)  Called for the creation of the League of Nations, provide ability for countries to group and talk together

ALLIES REJECT WILSONS PEACE PLAN  Wilsons idea for peace did not relieve the anger the Allies had  Georges Clemenceau, French leader, had lived through 2 German invasions and was determined to prevent anymore  David Lloyd George had been elected as Britain prime minister on slogan “Make Germany Pay”  Italian prime minister, Vittorio Orlando, wanted Austrian held territory  The defeated Central Powers were not there  Russia now communist was not present either  The “Big Four” were the ones controlling the terms of peace (GB, U.S., France, and Italy)

TREATY OF VERSAILLES Included in the Treaty  Established 9 new nations  Carved Ottoman Empire into five pieces and gave it to France and GB  Germany could not have an army  Germany had to return Alsace- Lorraine to France  Had to pay reparations of $33 bil.  Humiliated Germany, war-guilt clause calling for Germany to admit sole responsibility

WEAKNESSES OF THE TREATY  Doesn’t provide for a lasting peace  Germany could not pay all the reparations back  All of their colonial possessions that did help bring in money for Germany were taken from them  Russia was not included in peace talks and lost more land than Germany (they're going to want it back)  Colonies were not being provided with self determination

OPPOSITION TO THE TREATY  People felt the treaty was to harsh  Economic consequences of Germany would affect the entire world  Treaty was a sell out because colonial rulers of the colonies were replaced with other colonial rulers  Ethnic groups did not like the new boundaries because it did not allow them to complete self determination

DEBATE OVER LEAGUE OF NATIONS  U.S. felt that the League of Nations interfered with isolationism  Henry Cabot Lodge did not like joint economic and military action against aggression  Wanted U.S. to have Constitutional right to declare war

U.S. REJECTS TREATY  Wilson goes on a campaign in September of 1919 to get support for the treaty  Wilson suffers from a stroke in October  Senate rejects the treaty  U.S. never signs the Treaty of Versailles