Wilson's 14 Points

Timeline:

Mar.4.1913 Woodrow Wilson inaugurated in as President of the USA

Apr.1.1917- Wilson asks Congress for declaration of war on Germany

May.18.1917- US passes Selective Service Act -Conscription begins

Jan.8. 1918- Wilson present the 14 points to Congress (US)

Nov.11.1918- End of WWI

Jan. 1919- Debates at Versailles over the treaty and its terms for Germany

Apr.1919- Covenant of the League of Nations passed (international)

Jun.28.1919- Treaty of Versailles is signed

Aug-Sep 1918- Wilson campaigning across US for ratification of the Treaty of Versailles and League of Nations

Mar.19.1920 Treaty of Versailles and League of Nations did not pass the Senate

Mar.4.1921 Wilson voted out of office

June 1921- US finally signed peace treaty with the Central Powers. No longer officially at war

Wilson's 14 points were based on what he believed to be the main factors leading up to WWI. The main points were: giving independence to colonies, general disarmament so that each country had only enough weaponry to defend itself,thus eliminating the threat of the initiation of war. As well, freedom of the navigation of the sea and open trade, the ending of secret treaties and the formation of an association of nations to provide international security and uphold international treaties and law.

When the USA entered the Paris Peace Conference Wilson presented his points which received mixed reactions from other world powers. French Prime Minister George Clemenceau was skeptical of the effectiveness, thinking that the League of Nations was too idealistic, and that a more effetive League, would be a small group with an army capable of regulating world peace. Lloyd George and British politicians were hostile to the idea of freedom of navigation of the seas. This was a sore point due to the fact that they wanted to retain the power to deploy naval power as they had during WWI. As well France and Britain demanded war reparations from Germany for the losses they had suffered during WWI. Italy, upon entering the war allied with France and England had been promised land. If Wilson's14 points went through they would not get the land, this became a vexation for them.

Wilson's 14 points were disregarded for the Treaty of Versailles resulting in Great Britain remaining as the sovereignty over the seas, large reparations to be paid by Germany and the declaration of land to countries that the citizens did not belong to. The Treaty of Versailles also saw that Germany was required to disarm and claim war guilt. Each of these points went against Wilson's idea of creating a 'peace without victory'.

Although Wilson's 14 points were not adhered to when writing the Treaty of Versailles it did prompt the formation of the League of Nations. However the US senate never ratified the Treaty of Versailles or joining the League of Nations, nor was Wilson re-elected.