Chapter 23, Section 4

1. Chapter 23, Section 4 Wilson and Peace After year of suffering people turned to Wilson as a symbol of hope.

2. Wilson’s Plan for Peace • The Fourteen Points: Wilson’s outline for peace • Meant to prevent international problems from causing another war • First Point called for an end to secret agreements • Second he called for freedom of the seas, free trade, and a limit on arms • Urged peaceful settlements of disputes over colonies.

3. Key goals • Self-determination: national groups had a right to own their own territory and form their own government • Fourteenth point: Wilson’s most important goal • Called for a League of Nation • Its job would be to protect the independence of all countries

4. Weaknesses of the Plan • Many European welcomed Wilson’s plan for peace • Some felt it was too vague

5. The Paris Peace Conference • Diplomats from 30 nations met in Paris and Versailles hoping fro peace • Big Four: decide key issues • Woodrow Wilson • David Lloyd George of Britain • Georges Clemenceau of France • Vittorio Orlando of Italy

6. Differing Aims • Wilson had called for peace without victory, he was opposed to punishing the defeated powers • Other Allies wanted revenge • Reparations: payments foe the losses they had suffered during the war • They wanted Germany to accept responsibility for the war

7. An unsatisfactory treaty • Versailles Treaty: June 1919 • No one was satisfied with the treaty • Germany had to take full blame for the war • Germany had to disarm completely • Germany had to pay Allies huge reparations • Germany was stripped of its colonies

8. Wilson’s success • Wilson won a few victories • In Eastern Europe several new nations were created on the basis of Self-determination • Poland • Yugoslavia • Czechoslovakia • They were created out of land once ruled by Germany, Russia, and Austria-Hungary • League of Nations

9. The Senate and the Treaty • Wilson had to convince the Senate to approve the Versailles Treaty • Many Americans opposed the peace treaty • Some thought it was too soft • Some German Americans thought it was too harsh • Isolationists wanted the U.S. to stay out of world affairs

10. Henry Cabot Lodge • Leader for critics of the Versailles Treaty • Objected to article 10 calling on the league of nations to protect any members whose independence was being threatened • Could involve the U.S. in future wars

11. No compromise • Wilson took his stance to the people • Made 37 speeches in 29 cities urging Americans to tell their Senators they support the treaty • September 25 1919 Wilson suffered a stroke that left him bedridden for weeks

12. The treaty is dead • November 1919 , Senate rejected the Versailles Treaty • The U.S. did not sign a peace treaty with Germany until 1921. • Many countries joined the League of Nation but the U.S. did not.