Wilson and Fourteen Points Mr. Williams 10th Grade U.S. History
“What we demand…is that the world be made fit and safe for every peace-loving nation which, like our own, wishes to live its own life, determine its own institutions, be assured of justice and fair dealing by the other peoples of the world as against force and selfish aggression.” -Woodrow Wilson 1918
14 Points Plan “Just and Lasting Peace” Plan for Peace at the end of The Great War Self-Determination League of Nations
Self-Determination The right of people to decide their own political status Wilson wanted the different ethnic groups within Austria-Hungary to be able to form their own nation
League of Nations League would be an organization of nations that would work together to settle disputes, protect democracy, and prevent future wars Precursor to United Nations
Arguments for and Against Three Groups 1: Democrats who supported immediate ratification of the treaty 2: Irreconcilables who urged outright rejection of U.S. Participation in the League
3: Reservationists who focused their criticism of the charter that required its members to use military force to carry out the League’s decisions. Republicans felt it interfered with Congress powers to declare war
Armistice Late 1918 war crippled German economy Civilians lacked food and supplies Food riots and strikes Revolution swept Austria-Hungary November 11, 1918 WAR OVER
Paris Peace Conference BIG FOUR Woodrow Wilson British Prime Minister David Lloyd George French premier Georges Clemenceau Italian Prime Minister Vittorio Orlando
Wilson the Fortune Teller “I can predict with absolute certainty that within another generation there will be another world war if the nations of the world do not concert [agree upon] the method by which to prevent it” –Woodrow Wilson
Conflicting Views Wilson’s Vision Nations deal with each other openly and traded fairly Reducing their arsenals of weapons 14 POINT PEACE PLAN
14 Points Role? League of Nations established Very Weak due to U.S. not joining Nine new nations would be created Czechoslovakia, Poland, Yugoslavia……..
Treaty of Versailles Germany forced to accept sole responsibility for starting the war Reduce the size of its military Give up territory won during and years before war Reparations: payments for damages and expenses caused by the war
Bolshevik Revolution In November 1917, Communists led by V.I. Lenin overthrow Russian Monarchy Pulled out of WWI, signed peace treaty with Central Powers Result: Not invited to Peace Conference
Political Impact Overthrow of monarchies in Russia, A-H, Germany, O.E. Bolsheviks rose to power Revolts against colonialism, in the Middle East and Asia
Impact in Europe European Countries lost entire generation of young men France was in ruins G.B. deeply in Debt to U.S. Reparations on Germany crippled its economy
Social Impact More than a million women went into the workforce 19th Amendment Passed African Americans moved to northern cities and led to new and often uneasy race relations
Economic Impact U.S. emerged as world’s leading economic power Farmers hit hard because European markets no longer needed to buy their food or could really afford it For years all of Europe’s resources went to the war effort, this left most of Europe’s economy in shambles