Simple Version

•As it became obvious that the allies would win, many in the world looked to America for post-war leadership.

•Woodrow Wilson declared America’s goals

• self-determination – ‘all culture groups should have a right to rule themselves’

•Peace without victory- ‘the winners of WWI won’t seek revenge on the losers- meant to prevent future anger

Part I. The U.S. and WWI Part I. The U.S. and WWI

Quote from Wilson’s 14 Quote from Wilson’s 14 Points speech to congressPoints speech to congress

• “…“…we are willing to fight and to we are willing to fight and to continue to fight until they [the 14 continue to fight until they [the 14 points] are achieved; but only because points] are achieved; but only because we wish the right to prevail and desire we wish the right to prevail and desire a just and stable peace such as can be a just and stable peace such as can be secured only by removing the chief secured only by removing the chief provocations to war, which this provocations to war, which this program does remove. We have no program does remove. We have no jealousy of German greatness, and jealousy of German greatness, and there is nothing in this program that there is nothing in this program that impairs it.” impairs it.”

To Achieve His Goals, To Achieve His Goals, Woodrow Wilson Published an Woodrow Wilson Published an

Outline for PeaceOutline for Peace

•He described fourteen steps He described fourteen steps (the Fourteen Points)(the Fourteen Points) that that would need to be taken to would need to be taken to ensure future peaceensure future peace

•No secret treatiesNo secret treaties

The Key Points (less than The Key Points (less than Fourteen)Fourteen)

•Freedom of travel in Freedom of travel in international watersinternational waters

•reduction of reduction of allall militariesmilitaries

•Self-DeterminationSelf-Determination of land of land (with an international group to (with an international group to listen to decide difficult borders) listen to decide difficult borders)

•A A League of League of NationsNations should be should be formed.formed.

•This international This international group would solve group would solve international international disputes non-disputes non-violentlyviolently

You Should Notice That the You Should Notice That the Fourteen Points Were Mostly Fourteen Points Were Mostly

Attempts to …Attempts to …•……eliminate the stresses that eliminate the stresses that

led to World War I in the first led to World War I in the first place. place.

Part II. Wilson’s Plans for Peace Part II. Wilson’s Plans for Peace Were Rejected In Exchange for Were Rejected In Exchange for

VengeanceVengeance• Some wanted Germany treated much more Some wanted Germany treated much more

ruthlesslyruthlessly – Who? Who? – Britain and Britain and especially especially France France – Why??? What would they say to the U.S.?Why??? What would they say to the U.S.?

• (Answer)- The fighting occurred in France. Britain and (Answer)- The fighting occurred in France. Britain and France lost millions of people and their economies were France lost millions of people and their economies were badly damaged. You don’t understand. You only lost badly damaged. You don’t understand. You only lost 250,000 people250,000 people

– France’s Special PointFrance’s Special Point• We’ve been under the German guns repeatedly. We have We’ve been under the German guns repeatedly. We have

no real protection from Germany. Anyone across an no real protection from Germany. Anyone across an ocean or channel can afford to be generous. We can’t. ocean or channel can afford to be generous. We can’t.

Wilson was forced to Wilson was forced to compromise all of his points compromise all of his points except the League of Nationsexcept the League of Nations

• Self Self DeterminaDetermination Was tion Was Also Also Accepted Accepted to Some to Some DegreeDegree

Germany Was Germany Was PunishedPunished

• As a result of the French and British, As a result of the French and British, the Germans had to sign the Treaty the Germans had to sign the Treaty of Versailles and… of Versailles and…

1)…take full responsibility for the war. 1)…take full responsibility for the war. 2)…give up land 2)…give up land 3) …pay over $30 billion in 3) …pay over $30 billion in

reparations reparations 4) …to largely disarm themselves 4) …to largely disarm themselves 5) …give up 5) …give up allall of their colonies of their colonies

Europe’s Europe’s Borders Borders

were were Redrawn Redrawn With Self With Self

DeterminaDetermination in tion in MindMind

Pre WWI

Post WWI

How could you argue that How could you argue that the Treaty of Versailles was the Treaty of Versailles was

a bad call even for the a bad call even for the French and British? French and British?

The U.S. didn’t even join The U.S. didn’t even join the League of Nationsthe League of Nations

• The Senate refused to ratify it because The Senate refused to ratify it because they felt like they would be pulled into they felt like they would be pulled into future European problems. future European problems.

• The League was set up, though. It was The League was set up, though. It was the first international attempt to avoid the first international attempt to avoid international conflicts. Fairly international conflicts. Fairly powerless because it had no powerless because it had no military!!!military!!!

The ColoniesThe Colonies• Africans and Asians and Middle Africans and Asians and Middle

Easterners were inspired by Wilson’s Easterners were inspired by Wilson’s idea of self-determination.idea of self-determination.– Why? Why?

• These people, hopeful for independence, These people, hopeful for independence, were disappointed. England and France were disappointed. England and France decided that they needed the colonies to decided that they needed the colonies to provide money to rebuild their countriesprovide money to rebuild their countries– They gobbled up Germany’s colonies. They gobbled up Germany’s colonies. – Wilson’s self-determination had meant that Wilson’s self-determination had meant that

whiteswhites deserved self rule, not non-whites. deserved self rule, not non-whites.

The Colonies The Colonies (cont.)(cont.)

• The French and British created the The French and British created the manipulative manipulative mandate mandate system.system.– ““You (the colonies) deserve You (the colonies) deserve

independence. But you aren’t ready independence. But you aren’t ready to rule yourselves yet. We’ll just to rule yourselves yet. We’ll just keep ruling you until you are ready keep ruling you until you are ready to be free.” to be free.”

– The trick: Who decides when that The trick: Who decides when that will be? will be?

• [[SEEDS OF THE VIETNAM WAR!]SEEDS OF THE VIETNAM WAR!]

HansenWWII

The End of World War I- The Folly of the VictorsNote-Taking Guide

Part I. The U.S. and WWI• As it became obvious that ____________________, many in the

world looked to________for post-war leadership.

• Woodrow Wilson declared America’s goals– ________________________ – ‘all culture groups should

have a right to __________________________’ – ___________________- ‘the winners of WWI

won’t___________________________________’ - meant to ________________________________

• To Achieve His Goals, Woodrow Wilson Published an ____________________________________

– He described fourteen steps _________________________________ that would need to be taken to ensure _________________

– Some sample points: • ____________________________• ____________________________• ____________________________• _____________________________• ____________________________

– You Should Notice That the Fourteen Points Are Mostly Attempts to __________________________________ _________ That Led to __________________

Part II. Wilson’s Plans _________ Were ________In Exchange for ________

• Some wanted Germany treated much ___________________

• Who? – ___________ and especially ____________

• Why??? What would they say to the ________?– (Answer)- The fighting _____________________ ______.

Britain and France ___________________________and their ________________________________. You don’t understand. You only ________________________.

• Wilson was forced to compromise all of his points except ____________________________________________________

•Germany was _______________– As a result of the French and British, the Germans had to

sign the Treaty of Versailles and… • 1)…take full ______________________for the war. • 2)…____________ land • 3) …pay over

________________________________• 4) …to largely _______________________• 5) …give up all __________________________

•Europe’s Borders were __________________________________– Examples ________________________________________

______________________________________________

•How could you argue that the Treaty of Versailles was a bad call even for ___________________?

– Answer: _____________________________________ _____________________________________________

•The U.S. didn’t even join the __________________– The _____________________________________because

they felt like they would be pulled into _____________________________________________.

– The League ____ set up, though. It was the first international attempt ___________________________. Fairly powerless because it had __________________!!!

•The Colonies – Africans and Asians and Middle Easterners were ______ by

Wilson’s idea of __________________________.• Why?_____________________________________

– These people, hopeful for independence, were ___________________. England and France decided that they __________________________________________ ______________________________________________

• They gobbled up __________________________. – Wilson’s self-determination had meant that

____________________________________________ _______________, not non-whites.

– The French and British created the manipulative _____________________.

– “You (the colonies) deserve __________________. But you aren’t _______________________________yet. We’ll just keep ruling you _____________________ _________________________.”

– The trick: _______________________________? <answer> ______________________________________

The End of World War I

• A More Complex Version???

What Needed Fixin’?

• Prevent another ‘Great War’.

Obstacles to The Goal of Future Peace• Desire for Revenge

– Born out of the horrific losses of the war (France)• Democracy Has Shortcomings

– ‘the mob’ doesn’t understand (or rejects) complex truths • For example, war reparations make no sense

– Defeated country has just lost a total war– Currency is worthless without goods backing it up– Carrying off their goods to your country displaces local industry

• But war reparations sound great– ‘We will build a country worthy of our heroes’

• Thus, democracy may produce the wrong policy• Idealism Versus Realism

– The U.S. (and Britain to some degree) pursued an idealistic policy • All Europeans should be granted self determination

– Why? – Liberal Enlightened policy

– Reality• Germany is the largest population group in Europe• If this remains unchanged, it is just an issue of mathematics before they are

powerful again• Self Determination (resulting in the break-up) of the Austro-Hungarian Empire

sounds inspiring. Leaves independent, BUT HIGHLY VULNERABLE nation-states

Because of These Foibles of the Human Psyche and Real Politics…

• Germany is treated neither harshly nor leniently enough– Not harsh enough in what way?

• Keep Rhineland – What is the Rhineland? (see next slide) – Why had France wanted it? – Why were the Germans allowed to keep it?

• Not lenient enough in what way? – Germans have been humiliated and are in debt– Dream of Payback

» Reminds of pre-WWI France, no?

• Weimar Republic is not a ‘German’ gov.– Set up by the victors– Germans weren’t used to democracy- might have rallied behind a king

• Self-Determination in central and southeastern Europe is ‘beautiful’ but foolish

• German Reparation payments are Impossible and the Germans Refuse to Pay In the Second Year of Their Agreed Upon Decades of Repayments– More on this later!

Even Those Ideas That Might Have Worked Were Abandoned Or Fatally Weakened

• U.S. abandoned the League of Nations– Why?

• U.S. Promise to safeguard France was not ratified– Why?

• Britain Refuses to Enforce Treaty of Versailles– Why?

Actual Territorial Settlement of the Versailles Treaty

Polish Corridor issue!!!

Marshall Foch

“This is not a peace.

It is an armistice for

20 years.”

Single Hope

• Germany’s Military has been reduced – 100,000 long term soldiers– No heavy weaponry