1. Why Wilson’s Peace Plan Failed

2. Paris Peace Talks: The Big Four Prime Minister of Great Britain, David Lloyd George (#1 Power) French Premier Georges Clemenceau (revenge) US President Woodrow Wilson (idealism) Italian Premier Vittorio Orlando (territory) Germany and Russia excluded

3. Wilson’s 14 Points

4. Wilson's Mistakes Bi-Elections of 1918: partisan politics, Republicans gain control House first time since 1910 American Peace Delegation: no Senators or prominent Republicans Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Henry Cabot Lodge not taken Wilson accused of Grandstanding

5. Treaty of Versailles War Guilt Clause (Art. 231) Germany solely responsible for starting war and destruction Reparations to be paid by Germany = $56 billion

6. Treaty of Versailles Germany was stripped of colonies Germany lost Saar Basin (returned by plebiscite 1935), Posen, parts of Schleswig and Silesia and Alsace-Lorraine German disarmament

7. New nations & problems created Italy's 200,000 persons non- Italians German speaking populations in Poland & Czechoslovakia Polish Corridor

8. New nations & problems created Russian loss of territory Japan given Shantung, China British & French Mandates in Middle East

9. Did not deal with did not address issues that caused the war reduction in arms trade barriers

10. League of Nations Wilson’s idea to resolve world conflict without war

11. US Ratification Process

12. Opposition to the Treaty of Versailles Unpopular with German, Irish, & Jewish Americans Republican feud with Wilson, esp. Henry Cabot Lodge Reservationists Irreconcilables = diehard isolationists including Hiram W. Johnson (CA) William E. Borah (IL) Robert La Folette (WI)

13. Wilson's 3-week national speaking tour 29 cities Pueblo CO, collapsed

14. Wilson's 3-week national speaking tour Returned to Washington, suffered a stroke paralyzed left side incapacitated 6 months Edith Wilson acting President

15. Senate Vote 45 revisions proposed limit US obligations to the League of Nations Wilson opposed any changes (He kept us out of peace!) Final vote -- treaty rejected, failing by 7 votes 49-35

16. Wilson’s Legacy Wilson received Nobel Peace Prize in 1920 died embittered in 1924 his predictions of future problems for Europe would come true