Post WWI USH-5.5
I. Peace A.Wilson is crucial at Versailles Peace Conference B.He brings Fourteen Points 1.Plan to eliminate all wars a)Limit navies b)End secret treaties c)Reduce arms d)New nations e)International peace organization – League of Nations
I. Peace C.To get the League of Nations created, Wilson gives in to the Allies anger 1.War Guilt Clause a)Blamed Germany for all of the death and destruction b)Meant to make Germans feel badly and depressed 2.Reparations were placed on Germany a)$33 billion in 1921 b)$439,565,519, in 2013
I. Peace D.Many new nations created from German, Austrian and Russian land 1.Borders aren’t drawn well
II. Fight for League of Nations A.In US Constitution, foreign policy is the executive branch 1.Senate ratifies all treaties B.Wilson created the League of Nations but the Senate refused to ratify the treaty 1.Didn’t want to give up the ability to declare war 2.Didn’t want to join wars b/c the LoN said so
II. Fight for League of Nations C.Wilson (Dem) refused to compromise with the Senate (Rep) 1.Wilson went on a cross country speaking tour a)Wanted to get Democrats elected to Senate so they’d vote yes D.Wilson had a stroke and still didn’t compromise E.US never ratified the Treaty of Versailles 1.Made our own peace w/Ger.
III. The 1920s A.Election of Dem. Cox supported Wilson 2.Rep. Harding wanted a return to normalcy 3.People liked “make the world safe for democracy” a)WWI violence changed their minds 4.Harding won and US became isolationist
III. The 1920s B.US became world’s leading economic power 1.Leading exports 2.Creditor nation 3.Financial capital 4.Still involved in Latin Amer.
IV. Waiting for WWII A.US never joined the League of Nations 1.Sent observers 2.Participated in international conferences B.Helped Germany pay the war reparations w/loans 1.Dawes and Young Plans C.Didn’t do anything as dictators rose in Italy and Germany
IV. Waiting for WWII D.Stock Market crash in October US worried about domestic problems E.Congress passed Neutrality Acts 1.Meant to keep US out of future wars 2.Delays US involvement in WWII