WILSON’S FOURTEEN POINTS AND THE TREATY OF VERSAILLES

  World War I became a crusade in the U.S.

  It was considered to be the “War to end all wars” and the war to make the world safe for democracy.

  Wilson proposed Fourteen Points as the model for peace.

  The purpose of the model was to prevent further wars by eliminating the causes of war.

  Some of the Fourteen Points were:

  No secret treaties, treaties should be open and openly arrived at.
  Freedom of the seas.
  Removal of economic barriers such as tariffs.
  Reduction of armaments.
  Settle colonial claims.
  Freedom for European national groups (have own nation).
  A League of Nations would be established.

  The Big Four dominated the Treaty of Versailles.

  The Big Four representatives were:

  Woodrow Wilson of the U.S.
  David Lloyd George of Great Britain.
  Clemenceau of France.
  Orlando of Italy.

  Other Big Four members (Italy, France, and Great Britain) did not go along with the Fourteen Points even though they pretended to. It was against their national interest.

  Germany and Russia were not represented at the Treaty of Versailles which made them bitter.

  The Treaty of Versailles (Peace of Paris, 1919)

  Germany was to accept the blame for the war and pay reparations ($33 billion), and they could have no navy, air force, and a very small army.

  Land was taken away from Germany, and all of her colonies were taken away.

  New countries were created in Europe from territories that were taken away from Russia, Germany, and Austria-Hungary and these new countries included Finland, Poland, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Yugoslavia, and the Baltic States.

  A mandate system was set up take care of former Turkish and German colonies:

  The Middle Eastern Turkish lands were given to Great Britain and France (this included among others present day Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, and Israel).
  Great Britain received Germany’s African colonies.
  Japan and the U.S. received many of the German islands in the Pacific.

  The League of Nations was created.

  Immediate results of the Treaty of Versailles.

  Wilson had to give up all of his Fourteen Points to get the League of Nations as a part of the treaty.

  Germany, Italy, and the Soviet Union were extremely upset with the Treaty of Versailles.