1. Imperialism and WWI
Wilson’s Peace Plan

2. 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

3. 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

4. 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

5. 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

6. 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

7. 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

8. 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

9. 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

10. 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