Post WWI USH-5.5

I. Peace Wilson is crucial at Versailles Peace Conference He brings Fourteen Points Plan to eliminate all wars Limit navies End secret treaties Reduce arms New nations International peace organization – League of Nations

I. Peace To get the League of Nations created, Wilson gives in to the Allies anger War Guilt Clause Blamed Germany for all of the death and destruction Meant to make Germans feel badly and depressed Reparations were placed on Germany $33 billion in 1921 $469,579,455,993.83 in 2018

I. Peace Many new nations created from German, Austrian, Russian, and Ottoman land Yugoslavia Hungary Czechoslovakia Poland Estonia Latvia Lithuania Turkey Finland Ireland Borders aren’t drawn well They are going to cause future conflict

II. Fight for League of Nations Every nation that signs the Treaty of Versailles is in the League of Nations In US Constitution, foreign policy is the executive branch Senate ratifies all treaties Wilson created the League of Nations but the Senate refused to ratify the treaty Didn’t want to give up the ability to declare war Didn’t want to join wars b/c the League of Nations said so

II. Fight for League of Nations Wilson (D) refused to compromise with the Senate who had a majority Republicans Wilson went on a cross country speaking tour Wanted to get Democrats elected to Senate so they’d vote yes Wilson had a stroke and still didn’t compromise US never ratified the Treaty of Versailles Made our own peace w/Ger.

III. The 1920s Election of 1920 Dem. Cox supported Wilson Rep. Harding wanted a return to normalcy People liked “make the world safe for democracy” WWI violence changed their minds Harding won and US became isolationist

III. The 1920s US became world’s leading economic power Leading exports Creditor nation Financial capital Still involved in Latin Amer.

IV. Waiting for WWII US never joined the League of Nations Sent observers Participated in international conferences Helped Germany pay the war reparations w/loans Dawes and Young Plans Didn’t do anything as dictators rose in Italy and Germany

IV. Waiting for WWII Stock Market crash in October 1929 US worried about domestic problems Congress passed Neutrality Acts Meant to keep US out of future wars Delays US involvement in WWII