Michael Liu

U.S. History 9 Honors

Tuccinardi
05/27/2014
Chapter 25
25.1 Introduction
December 13, 1918
Woodrow Wilsons ship, the George Washington slipped into the dock at Brest,
France.
The Allies and the Central powers had put down their guns and signed an
armistice.
Believed the peace treaty would make the world safe for democracy.
Wilson was greeted and treated very well.
Europeans were grateful for the American help.
25.2 Wilsons Vision for World Peace
Fourteen points were designed to protect every peace loving nation and peoples from
force and selfish aggression
Point 1
Open covenants of peace, openly arrived at so that diplomacy shall
proceed always frankly and in the public view
Countries would not make secret treaties and alliances. Secret
alliances had been a cause of World War I
Point 2
Absolute freedom of navigation upon the seas in war and peace.
Point 3
The removal, so far as possible of all economic barriers and the
establishment of an equality of trade conditions among all nations.
Point 4
National armaments will be reduced to the lowest point consistent with
domestic safety
Point 5
Impartial adjustment of all colonial claims;... the interests of the
populations concerned must have equal weight with the equitable claims
of the colonial government.
Points 6 to 13
These points deal with the restoration of occupied territory to Russia,
Belgium, France, Serbia, Romania, and Montenegro. They also call for
drawing new borders based on historically established lines of allegiance
and nationality.
Point 14
A general association of nations must be formed.
Fourteen Points to End All Wars
First Goal to eliminate the causes of wars.
Freedom of the seas
Merchant ships to travel freely in international waters in times of peace
and war.
Reduce Armaments
Weapons of war
League of Nations
Ensured World peace.
territorial integrity
Nations respect one anothers borders and do not try to gain another
countrys territory by force.
Wilsons Unusual Decisions
Wilson made a unusual decision by traveling to the peace conference in France
Wanted to make sure his goal of a lasting peace to become a reality.
Democrats and Republicans ready for 1918 midterm elections
Democrats controlled both houses.
Republicans later won.
Wilson made matters worse by his choice of other American
delegates to the peace conference.
One republican upon all delegates
Not one of the delegates had the confidence of key
Republican leaders in the Senate.
25.3 Ideals Versus Self-Interest at Versailles
Big Four
Included President Wilson, three prime ministers: David Lloyd George of Great
Britain, georges Clemenceau of France and Vittorio Orlando of Italy.
Peace Without Victory Gives Way to War Guilt and Reparations
Countries were not interested in peace but the interest of their own country.
french Security
Prime minister wanted to weaken Germany to the point where it will never
harm France Again.
Lloyd george
Insisted that Germany accept responsibility for starting the war.
Inclusion of a war-guilt clause in the treaty demolished Wilsons earlier
hope for peace without victory.
Germany also required to pay $33 billion in reparations to the Allies.
Wilson
Tried to restrain the efforts at punishing Germany
Accepted the harsh treatment of Germany in order to gain support for
what he saw as most important, the League of Nations.
Self Determination Survives, but only in Europe
Wilson clashed with the other Allied leaders over territorial claims
Fourteen points, called for self-determination
Helped some ethnic groups form their own culture.
Other Territorial decisions went against Wilsons views.
Other nations in other areas ignored self-determination.
Governed areas as mandates, or territories controlled by the league of
nations.
Wilson Pins his Peace Hopes on the League of Nations.
Wilson was not able to preserve all of his goals but he did get the other leaders
to include a charter for the League of Nations in the final agreement
League would maintain peace by providing collective security for its members.
big four formally signed the Treaty of Versailles on June 18, 1919
25.4 The Great Debate About Ratification
Wilson brought back treaty to ratify the Treaty with U.S. membership in the league of
nations/
Reservationists Seek Changes Before Approving Treaty.
reservationists were republicans who said yes but wanted changes in the treaty.
Focused on Article 10
Collective security
Required member nations to work together and even supply
troops to keep the peace.
Henry Cabot Lodge
Opposed the treaty partially because of rivalry with Wilson.
Found a way to delay action on the treaty.
Irreconcilables Reject the Treaty in ANy Form
The irreconcilables put in their no vote for certain
Group of republicans
Opposed to any treaty that included an international organization that
might draw the nation into war.
Internationalists Support the Treaty of Versailles.
Internationalists
Group of Democrats
Believed that greater cooperation among nations could work to benefit all.
Wilson Takes His Case to the People.
Upset by Lodges delaying tactics, president Wilson decided to go directly to the
public for support.
This would damage his failing health.
Wilson would do anything to have peace, even if it meant
sacrificing his health.
Wilson went on tour but collapsed with a severe headache in Pueblo,
Colorado.
Tour stopped and Train sped back to Washington.
25.5 A Divided Senate Decides the Treatys Fate
Wilson had suffered from a major stroke that left him partially paralyzed.
Wilsons wife became a gatekeeper
She decided who could see him and what news he would hear.
Partisanship Defeats the Treaty
From the start, bitter partisanship, or rivalry between political parties marked the
treaty ratification process.
Treaty came to the Senate for a vote late in 1919
Reservationists added 14 amendments.
Wilson rejected them all.
He called on supporters to vote down the amendment
Democrats loyal to Wilson joined the irreconcilables
to defeat the amended treaty.
Unamended treaty was voted yes by democrat but
defeated by irreconcilables and reservationists..
fearing that the national might be left with no treaty
at all, 21 democrats voted to accept the 14
amendments.
The 1920 Election Becomes a Referendum on the Treaty.
As the 1920 presidential election heated up, Wilson Struggled to save the
streaty.
Republicans favored an international association to prevent war but opposing the
League.
Warren G. Harding lacked conviction either way
Wilson called for the election to be a great and solemn referendum on the
League of Nations.
Americans were losing interest in the partisan debate over ratification.
Warring G. Harding won the presidential election.
October 1921- A separate treaty was signed with Germany
League of Nations operations had begun but the nation whose president
had created it was not a member.