The Aftermath of World War I & The Road to Peace

World War I Aftermath: My Q’s How did WWI affect America’s economic and global status? Why did the League of Nations fail to pass in America? What is isolationism? How did Americans promote isolationism and peace after WWI?

Americans in World War I Following constant attacks of American ships by German U-boats in the Atlantic, President Woodrow Wilson successfully asked Congress to declare war, even though the war in Europe had been already going on for three years. By July 1918, the United States army and navy helped to turn the tide in favor of the Allied troops. After four years of brutal, trench warfare, the Allies were now pushing the Germans out of France and back into their country. However, the war took its toll on the Americans, leaving over 20, 000 dead from war. Worse, soldiers brought home a strain of influenza that killed 550,000 Americans.

Prosperity & Power for America Because WWI was predominantly fought on European soil, many countries like France, Britain, Germany, and others had to rebuild their infrastructure and their economies struggled because of it. In comparison, because the war was not fought in the United States, Americans enjoyed a brief period of economic prosperity. Moreover, because of the important role they played in the war, the United States was now respected at the global level as a world power and peacemaker.

A Treaty at Versailles Woodrow Wilson, the American president during WWI, was one of the head honchoes at the Versailles convention to officially end the war. He wanted many of his plans to be adopted fully, but the leaders of France and Great Britain only wanted a portion of them, angering Wilson. When officially concluded, the Treaty of Versailles, gave independence to Poland and other countries in northern Europe.

Harsh Treatment for Germany However, the treaty was extremely harsh on Germany. The Allies forced the country to admit responsibility for the entire war, making them pay $56 billion in reparation payments, and taking away all weapons and military forces. They also lost 1/8th of their territory and 1/10th of their population. Much of German-speaking Austria was also given to Italy. With the huge reparation payments, Germany for nearly two decades slipped into a massive economic depression. Angry over the Treaty of Versailles and its harsh treatment on their country, Germans began to build up a resentment that would start another World War.

The Fight Over the League of Nations Upset with treaty’s severe punishments of Germany, Wilson wanted to make sure his idea for the League of Nations—a peace-keeping council of prominent countries—would be fully implemented. Luckily for Wilson, it was passed by all European countries. Unluckily for Wilson, the League of Nations could not pass in the Senate of his own country, the United States. Many congressmen and Americans fully believed that if they became a member over the League of Nations that they would become entangled in future European disputes and wars. Therefore, the United States adopted a policy of isolationism, a belief that a country should become involved in the affairs of other countries.

Searching for Peace In pursuit of lasting global peace, most Americans actively sought ways to establish laws that would limit the likelihood of future war. The U.S. and other countries around the world decided to reduce their battleship tonnage and halt battleship construction for ten years. Also, in 1928, the U.S. and sixty other countries decided to sign the Kellogg-Brand Pact, which renounced violence and called for the outlawing of war across the globe. However, the Kellogg-Brand Pact could not be enforced; there was no international policing organization.