PEACE WITHOUT VICTORY VS. REVENGE Treaty of Versailles

President Wilson’s 14 points The Points 1. Open covenants of peace openly arrived at,…(so that) diplomacy shall proceed always frankly and in the public view. Support of World Peace 1. Countries should not make secret treaties and alliances. Secret alliances had been a cause of WWI.

14 Pts 2. Absolute freedom of navigation upon the seas…in war and peace. 3. The removal, so far as possible, of all economic barriers and the establishment of an equality of trade conditions among all nations. 2. Ships would be able to travel freely in times of war, U-boat attacks on shipping had drawn the U.S. into WWI 3. Free trade among countries would promote economic growth and reduce trade conflicts that could draw nations into war

14 pts 4. National armaments will be reduced to the lowest point consistent with domestic safety. 5. Impartial adjustments of all colonial claims…the interests of the populations concerned must have equal weight with the equitable claims of the (colonial) gov’t 4. Countries would reduce their stockpiles of weapons. Militarism had been a cause of WWI. 5. The desires of colonial people would be taken into consideration in creating ma more peaceful world. Imperialism and competition for colonies had been a cause of WWI.

14 pts These points deal with the restoration of “Occupied territory” to Russia, Belgium, France, Serbia, Romania, and Montenegro. They also call for drawing new borders based on “historically established lines of allegiance and nationality.” Restoring land taken from countries by war would restore respect for international law. Redrawing some borders on the basis of self- determination would reduce conflicts among ethnic groups. Frustrated nationalism in the Balkans had triggered WWI

14 pts 14. A general association of nations must be formed 14. Countries would work together in the League of Nations to resolve conflicts before those conflicts escalated into war.

What Wilson wanted vs. what happened 1. Peace without victory 2. Disarmament 3. Self Determination 1. Reparations and War Guilt Clause 2. Germany will only have a 100,000 person standing army and lose their coal rich lands in the Saar valley 3. Take Germany’s lands and divide amongst the winners

What Wilson wanted vs. What actually happened 4. No more colonization 5. League of Nations 4. Take land from Germany and dish it out to the new countries that are formed and Italy. 5. League of Nations

Selling the Treaty to the U.S. 1. Congress majority Republicans 2. Reservationist = Yes, if changes are made 1. Article 10 of the League’s charter. 1. Collective Security 3. Irreconcilables = NO, no matter what. 4. Internationalists = YES!!! League of Nations means Peace

Selling to the U.S.  [My] own health is not to be considered when the future peace and security of the world are at stake. If the Treaty is not ratified by the Senate, the War will have been fought in vain, and the world will be thrown into chaos. I promised our soldiers, when I asked them to take up arms, that it was a war to end wars.  —Woodrow Wilson, August 27, 1919

Failure  Senate made amendments to the original  Wilson refused to approve any changes  Didn’t pass and was voted down again about 6 months later.  U.S. never agrees to the treaty and never joins the League of Nations.  Agrees to a separate treaty with Germany after all was said and done.

THE PLOT THICKENS… 13 So: was the Treaty of Versailles a “peace without victory” or revenge?