Imperialism and WWIImperialism and WWIImperialism and WWIImperialism and WWI

Wilson’s Peace PlanWilson’s Peace Plan

Wilson’s Plan Eleventh day, eleventh hour in eleventh month

(Nov. 11) Met at the Palace of Versailles on January 1918

– Allies met to decide the peace terms– Central Powers and Russia were not invited

Wilson presented his plan called the “Fourteen Points” on January 18, 1918– Wanted a just and lasting peace– Wanted to establish a League of Nations which would

serve as an open forum for nations to discuss and settle issues w/o war

Wilson personally led US delegation– Not good at negotiations

He only took 1 Republican with him-Not influential and old

Wilson’s Fourteen Points January 18, 1918 Wilson delivered his plan to

Congress 1st 5 pts were to prevent war

– No secret treaties– Freedom of the seas– Lower tariffs– Arms reduction– Colonial policies should consider the colonial people-

self-determinism Next 8 dealt with boundary changes

– New countries were created 14th point called for a League of Nations

– International organization to address diplomatic issues– It had no army

Allies Reject Wilson’s Plan France and England were furious at Germany-

Germany destroyed tons of lives and land– Felt Wilson was being too easy on Germany– George Clemenceau- (French premier) lived through

2 French invasions– David Lloyd George- (British Prime Minister) won

election on the slogan “make Germany pay!”– Vittorio Orlando (Italian Prime Minster)wanted

control of Austrian-held territory These 3 men worked out most of the details by

themselves and left Wilson out– Wilson agreed as long as he got his League of

Nations

Debating the Treaty

What was in the Treaty of Versailles– Established 9 new nations from former German and

Austrian-Hungary land• Poland, Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia

– France and Great Britain got former Ottoman colonies on a temporary basis- mandates

– Germany had to restrict its army, lost land and had to pay war reparations- $33 billion for war damages

The Treaty’s Weakness The treaty humiliated Germany and they remained

bitter and angry– War Guilt Clause- Germany had to take sole

responsibility for starting the war– Their military was weakened– Germany had to pay back an insane amount of money– Germany lost its colonial possessions

Italy and Japan are angry b/c they felt like they should have been given more land

Russia was left out of the talks– New communist gov’t under Vladimir Lenin was

determined to get taken land back Colonized people were angry. They wanted self-

determination: ability to decide on their own gov’t

Opposition to the Treaty

When Wilson returned home most felt the treaty was too harsh

Many felt it didn’t help the colonized people gain freedom or self-determination

Many Americans wanted to stay out of European affairs– Return to isolationism

Debate of the League of Nations Democrats- supported treaty w/o modifications Republican “Irreconcilables”- opposed it

completely– Hiram Johnson and Robert La Follette

Republican “Revisionists”- wanted modifications to treaty– Said it threatened the US policy of isolation

• Staying out of European affairs

– Henry Cabot Lodge- (conservative Senator) was suspicious of joint military and economic action against aggression

– Article 10- a provision that allowed Congress to declare war to be added

Wilson Refuses to Compromise Wilson alienated the Republican Party by not

having more of them to join the delegation Wilson refused to compromise on the League Wilson traveled throughout the nation explaining

why the US should join the League On Oct. 2, 1919 Wilson suffered a stroke and was

weakened Senate vote- Nov. 1919

– Didn’t pass and didn’t ratify the treaty– Wilson refused again to compromise

Senate voted again- March 1920– Didn’t pass

The US never joined the League and decided to sign a separate treaty with Germany in 1921

Legacy of War America emerges as an Industrial Giant African-Americans move north (Great

Migration) There are intensified anti-immigrant views Brought over 1 million women into the work

force The Treaty of Versailles settled nothing France and Great Britain got their way and

punished Germany harshly Germany, Italy, Japan and Russia were left bitter