1. Wilson and the Treaty of Versailles

2. It was the strength of the opposition forces , both liberal and conservative , rather than the ineptitude and stubbornness of President Wilson that led to the Senate defeat of the Treaty of Versailles.

3. Liberal v. Conservative
Liberal – Interventionists /Internationalists
Conservative – Isolationist
Terms: Liberal and Conservative meanings differ when applied to foreign vs. domestic affairs. Progressives were liberal on domestic issues but many of the “irreconcilables” were progressive although they were “isolationist” (conservative) when it came to the Treaty of Versailles.)
Reservationists - Internationalists

4. The 96 senators who were eligible to vote on the treaty belonged to one of three groups:
Wilson Supporters and liberal Internationalists
Reservationists led by Henry Cabot Lodge
Irreconcilables who were mostly isolationists

5. TREATY OF VERSAILLES
JUNE

6. Established the League of Nations
Executive Council (like the Security Council)
Decisions would require unanimous approval for action
Agreed to not make war without arbitration
Unilateral action amounted to war against the entire league
Article X
Executive Council could “advise upon measures necessary to maintain order and keep peace in the world.”

7. Wilson’s Reasons for Ratification
“Collective Security”
League of Nations would simply make the world a safer place by
reducing the chances for war
stopping needless arms building
Enable US to assume its rightful role in
the forefront of world affairs
where we could use our best intentions and leadership to promote world peace
“We are participants in the world, whether we wish to be or not… What affects mankind is inevitably our affair as well…”

8. THE RATIFICATION FIGHT

9. Reservationists versus Irreconcilables
Irreconcilables—refused to ratify the treaty
Argument: Article X---if accepted the U.S. would be ceding war powers of the government to the League of Nations council.
Hiram Johnson, Robert La Follette, William Borah

10. Reservationists
Argument: Make amendments to the treaty before its ratification.
Mostly republicans
Henry Cabot Lodge

11. TIMELINE
February ,1919 – trip to Washington listened to harsh criticism
March, Wilson allows 4 changes
July , 1919 – presented the Treaty to Congress
August , 1919 – Wilson met with entire Senate Foreign Relations Committee
late in the summer of Wilson took his case to the people
During his trip Wilson suffers a stroke (October) essentially ending his political career.

12. TIMELINE November , 1919 Senate voted
with reservations defeated
without reservations 38 – 53 defeated
March 19, with reservations 49 for 35 against (7 short of 2/3 needed for approval)
November Presidential Election - Wilson believed it would be “solemn referendum” on the League

13. Election of 1920
Republicans nominate Warren G. Harding/Calvin Coolidge. Front porch campaign decreeing a “return to normalcy”.
Democrats nominate James Cox/Franklyn D. Roosevelt. Activist campaign focusing on domestic issues.
Eugene Debs- running from prison

14. Election of 1920
Republican victory by a landslide

15. Factors that Defeated the Treaty Ratification:
Climate of post war U.S.
Rising intolerance towards things “un-American”
Ku Klux Klan reborn
Red Scare---fear of terrorist attacks
The Great Migration---race riots

16. B. Backlash against the Great War
Climate of post war U.S.
B. Backlash against the Great War
Questioning the wisdom of having participated in a war that had caused many American deaths and wounded
Stories of Allied greed and desire for revenge disillusioned many who thought that the war had been fought to “make the world safe for democracy”
revulsion of the treaty led to desire to return to isolationism

17. 2. Political Opposition Irish Americans German Americans
Italian Americans
Conservatives
Liberals
Isolationists
Senate Republicans
Anti-Wilsonites

18. Berlin Treaty
August 1921
Harding Administration will conduct negotiations with Weimar Republic.
Scaled down version of Treaty of Versailles (excluded League of Nations, and boundaries provisions)
Laid foundation for US role to provide assistance to Germany regarding reparations.

19. Dawes Plan-Charles Dawes
Ruhr Valley evacuated
Germany would be loaned 800 million marks by the US and Britain
Short Term effect- eased reparations payments for Germany and short economic stability
Dawes earns Nobel Peace Prize for efforts

20. Kellogg-Briand Pact (1928)
Agreement signed between France, Germany, and the US
Renounced the use of war to solve disputes.
Essentially made war illegal

21. Young Plan Reduced Reparations payments further
Between agreement and adoption of the plan.
Credits will be cancelled from US Banks when the depression hits