#75 Plan for Peace Mr. Horohoe

Wilson’s Fourteen Points President Woodrow Wilson had plan to create a lasting peace. Most believed that the Great War would be “a war to end all wars”. Several points in his plan are not often discussed because they merely outline borders of European nations.

Wilson’s Fourteen Points Wilson believed that every country had a right to self govern, but proposed principles for international relations. Free Trade Freedom of the Seas End to secret treaties Reduction of weapons and armies

League of Nations Wilson also proposed creating an international group of all nations that could discuss problems and sort them out without the need for war. Wilson’s vision for this institution was called the League of Nations. The League of Nations would fail in part because it was very vague on how to resolve problems and the United States, fearing it would lose some control, never joined the league.

Paris Peace Conference 27 nations were called to help participate in the negotiations for a peace treaty to end the war. Notably, Russia and Germany were not invited. The “Big 4” nations were the USA, UK, France and Italy.

Paris Peace Conference The “Big 4” included the following: – Woodrow Wilson – United States President – David Lloyd – Great Britain Prime Minister – Georges Clemenceau – French Premier – Vittorio Orlando – Italian Prime Minister

Paris Peace Conference The European Nations wanted to punish Germany and demanded that Germany be forced to pay for the war, take public blame for the war and dismantle their army. Reparations – the compensation for war damage by a defeated state. Germany 

Treaty of Versailles 6/28/1919 – Allies and Germany signed a peace treaty outside Paris at the Palace at Versailles. Despite the extreme conditions, Germany had to sign. With 55 Billion dollars of debt Germany was destined to fail.

Disagreement at Home The United States believed the Treaty of Versailles was unfair and there was considerable fighting in Congress on whether or not to sign it. Eventually, with a Woodrow Wilson leaving office the United States signed their own separate treaties with the Central Powers.