Section 11-4

SECTION 11-4

Wilson Fights for Peace

Wilson Presents His Plan

Fourteen Points- Wilson’s plan for peace. The first five points were issues that Wilson believed had to be addressed to prevent another war.

1. There should be no secret treaties among nations.

2. Freedom of the seas should be maintained for all.

Wilson Presents His Plan

3. Tariffs and other economic barriers among nations should be lowered or abolished in order to foster free trade.

4. Arms should be reduced “to the lowest point consistent to domestic safety, thus lessening the possibility of military responses” during diplomatic crises.

Wilson Presents His Plan

5. Colonial policies should consider the interests of the colonial peoples as well as the interests of the imperialist powers.

The next eight points dealt with boundary changes.

Wilson Presents His Plan

The fourteenth point called for the creation of an international organization to address diplomatic crises like those that sparked the war.

League of Nations- would provide a forum for nations to discuss and settle their grievances without having to resort to war.

Wilson Presents His Plan

Georges Clemenceau- French premier.

David Lloyd George- British prime minister.

Debating the Treaty of Versailles Treaty of Versailles- established nine

new nations and shifted the boundaries of other nations. It barred Germany from maintaining an army. It also required Germany to return the region of Alsace-Lorraine to France and to pay reparations (war damages) to the Allies. It also had a war guilt clause, forcing Germany to admit sole responsibility for starting the war.

THE TERMS OF THE TREATY OF

VERSAILLES1919

WAR GUILT CLAUSE

GERMAN NATIONAL TERRITORY

GERMANY’S MILITARY FORCES REDUCED

GERMAN OVERSEAS TERRITORRIES

NO UNION WITH AUSTRIA

REPARATIONS

Germany had to accept blame for starting WW1

- Army restricted to 100,000 men.

- No modern weapons such as tanks, military air force.

- Navy could not have battle ships over 10,000 tons and no U-Boats.

- Germany lost national territory which was given to Belgium and Denmark, most went to Poland.

Germany lost Chinese ports [Amoy and Tsingtao], Pacific Islands, and African colonies [Tanganika and German SW Africa].

RHINELAND TO BE DE-MILITARISED

Germany forced to pay massive fine for war damages - 1,000,000,000 Marks (6.6bn pounds).

The Treaty was designed to cripple Germany militarily, territorially and economically

Debating the Treaty of Versailles

Henry Cabot Lodge- conservative senator who was against the U.S. entering the League of Nations. Wanted the constitutional right of Congress to declare war included in the treaty.

The Legacy of the War

Strengthened U.S. military and power of government.

Accelerated social change. Massive loss of life severely damaged

social and political systems in Europe. Treaty of Versailles had settled nothing. Leads to WWII