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Woodrow Wilson and the Treaty of Versailles
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Woodrow Wilson ( ) Academic by profession: President of Princeton University; PhD in Political Science In entering the war, he hoped to lead the world towards a "just peace" For him, WW1 would become the “war to end all wars.” As a professional academic, he was more idealistic than most of his supporters
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Wilson’s 14 Points Wilson condensed his ideas for peace into one speech: “The 14 Points” Hoped to prevent new wars from happening “National Self-Determination” would allow for independence of nations within Austro-Hungarian Empire Ottoman Empire Poland Colonies in Africa and Asia Reduce national armaments Freedom of the seas
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Wilson Traveled to Versailles
Asked Americans to re-elect Democrats to Congress in 1918; instead, Republicans won both House and Senate Wilson chose mostly Democrats to be on his negotiating team in France Wilson demanded a “peace without victory” to create a peaceful future England, France, and Italy demanded war guilt and revenge Germany, Austria, Ottoman Empire took no part in talks Russia did not attend
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Punishing Germany at Versailles
Clause 231: Germany forced to admit to starting WW1 Germany was forced to pay “reparations” money to pay to England and France Reparations were huge sum of gold to be paid over 20 years Some feared that reparations would ruin Germany’s economy Austria did not pay reparations because it went bankrupt immediately after war US did not receive reparations, but England and France used money to repay US banks
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National Self-Determination
Theory: nations could decide their independence and borders would reflect their populations Truth: Some nations got independence, many didn’t. Germans were not united because Allies feared a larger Germany New countries: Czhechoslovakia Romania Bulgaria Yugoslavia (Balkan nations, combined into one kingdom) Poland Estonia Latvia Lithuania
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But Not for Africa, Asia England and France kept colonial control in Africa and Asia England and France gained control of territories in Middle East (temporary “mandates” to control land of Ottoman Empire) Wilson succeeded in adding “League of Nations” to peace treaty First try at an international organization of nations to work for peaceful conflict resolution Failed mostly because US did not join US Republicans feared that the League could drag the US into a war the US might not want
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US Senate Rejected Treaty
“Reservationists” in Senate liked treaty, except for Article 10 of League of Nations John Cabot Lodge led Republicans against treaty because Wilson was Democrat Internationalists liked treaty Wilson spoke across country in favor of treaty: collapsed from overwork (in Pueblo, CO!) “Partisanship” killed the treaty: US signed separate treaty in 1921
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