Securing the Peace Handout

1. Why did Woodrow Wilson not take any Republicans with him to Europe for the Peace Conference?

Wilson didn't take any Republicans with him to the Peace Conference because him and the Republicans had major political differences. Also, Senator Henry Cabot Lodge, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and Wilson were rivalries. Wilson absolutely hated Lodge and since the Republicans got the majority in the midterm election wounded his pride and therefor preventing him from seeking Lodge's cooperation. Lastly, most of the Republicans were very powerful, in the Senate and Congress, so he didn't want someone overpowering him and his proposals at the Peace Conference.

2. Why was Wilson welcomed in Paris?

Wilson was welcomed in Paris because the people there had read his Fourteen Points proposal and found hope in its terms and the new ideas. Also, many people from around the world came to see him in Paris hoping to represent their country for their desires after the war. Many nationalists also came to see Wilson hoping to secure their groups' independence, like in one of his Fourteen Points he calls for "self-rule."

3. The idea of self-rule, which Wilson advocated, was not included in the Treaty to the extent Wilson had hoped. Why not?

"Self-rule" was not included in the Treaty to the extent of what Wilson had hoped because the other nations, such as France, Great Britain, and Japan had other intentions. They wanted to still rule some colonies and then eventually give them independence. Also, they did not want there to be a war without victors gaining and losers losing, so they took some of the land and made seperate nations. Although, many smaller nations came and were allowed to be at the Peace Conference they were greatly excluded and therefore weren't able to represent the nation or express their views. Since the other three of the Big Four did not agree with Wilson they ignored the smaller nations desires to "self-rule."

4. The Allied Big Four-WIlson, Lloyd George, Orlando, and Clemenceau-discussed the question of whether to invite the conquered Germans or new Russian Bolsehvik government to the Versailles Conference and its negotiations but decided against it. Was the decision justified? Explain your reasoning.

I do not think that they were justified in keeping out Russia and Germany out of the negotiations. First, Russia would just try to put their communist ideas in the Treaty, but that doesn't mean that they had to be in the Treaty. Russia would just want more land anyways like the other Big Four countries. Secondly, if Germany were there they would be able to know what was going on in the Treaty and would possibly have a better chance in making the Treaty less harsh if they were there. Germany could stand up for the harshness of the Treaty and make a compromise instead. The Big Four countries making the move to not include Germany and Russia contradicts the League of Nations, which is for countries to talk and compromise their problems instead of fighting. If Germany were there at the Peace Conference and the Treaty were not to be so harsh than we most likely wouldn't have had a second World War.

5. Which Big Four leader showed up at the Paris Conference with the most strength to influence the proceedings? Which was the weakest? Why?

I believe that Lloyd George had the most strength to influence the proceedings because George had won reelection under the slogan "Make Germany Pay," which made him win. The people of Great Britain wanted Germany to pay, and since he won reelection he had to live up to his promises. So he tried his best to make Germany pay and he was successful because the Treaty was extremely harsh on Germany. I think that Wilson was the weakest leader because he let the other leaders take over his Fourteen Points, they said that in order for them to even consider the League of Nations he had to get rid of the other Thirteen Points. Since Wilson was basically married to the League of Nations he couldn't give it up and got rid of the other points. Also, even though the other three Big Four nations were going along with the Treaty and saying that they were for peace, they actually really wanted Germany to pay and were just completely fooling Wilson, who was blind enough to believe them.

6. Why did Wilson have such difficulty seeing his Fourteen Points written into the Peace Plan?

Wilson had great difficulty getting his Fourteen Points into the Peace Plan because none of the other Big Four nations actually wanted them, and at home they were greatly opposed to it. The Republicans and many other people thought that the Fourteen Points and the League of Nations would impede their isolationistic ideas. Also, the other Big Four nations wouldn't look into the League of Nations unless Wilson got rid of the other Fourteen Points, since he was so attached to the League of Nations he got rid of the other thirteen. Overall, the other Big Four nations really didn't want peace and made Wilson get rid of the other thirteen points for the League of Nations which is why Wilson had such difficulty seeing his Fourtain Points in the Peace Plan.

7. Explain Article X of the League of Nations Covenant. What problems with the covenant did some Americans have?

Article X of the League of Nations Covenant is basically saying that no one can intervene or try to mess up the new borders and nations or there will be interving countries, such as the United States, that will both militarily and economically keep these borders the way they are. Other nations have to live with these borders there are final. Some of the problems that a few Americans had were that they thought that the Big Four people should set aside the League of Nations Covenant until after they're done with the peace agreements with Germany. They really didn't like the League of Nations because it threatened Americas idea of isolationism, which is the idea that America should fend for itself and not be involved in foreign nation problems.

World War I A U.S. Perspective:
Why was this war so significant for the United States?
It was so significant because we were the most powerful in the war. The other nations asked for money and help from America, and we were the ones to save the allies from losing the war.

How did the United States initially view the outbreak of World War I?
Initially America wanted to stay out of the war as much as possible, to keep the peace and stay neutral. They didn't really want to get involved in foreign wars or affairs yet when they had stuff to take care of at home such as working conditions for workers.

What impact did the United States have on the war's outcome?
If the United States had not entered the war the allies would have lost and Germany, along with it's allies, would've won and could made every other countries lives horrible. Also, without the loans America gave to the nations the nations wouldn't have been able to build such huge armies and navies, so the United States had both a positive and negative impact. The supply of money made the building of armies and navies larger which made the war that much longer and worse.

How did people in the United States respond to the Treaty of Versailles?
People in the U.S. thought that the Treaty of Versailles was extremely harsh on Germany, and that the League of Nations would impede their isolationistic ideas, nevertheless the Treaty was never ratified by the United States at that time.

How did the war impact the home front?
People didn't like the draft that was going on because young sons shouldn't have to see the horrors of war and they'd be so far away from home, which made the mothers and parents sad and mad at the government for making the draft. Also, boat workers or mostly any type of industry worker was greatly needed by the U.S. to work and make boats and such, which saved them from going into the war to fight but still were able to help. Lastly, most people at first didn't want to go to war, but after repeated attacks on innocent ships where Americans died from Germany, they wanted to go to war and beat Germany.

Why did the United States participate in the conflict?
The United States participated in the conflict because after Germany killed some American passengers for the third time they became very vengeful and wanted to beat Germany. Germany had said that they would no longer sink passenger ships with U-Boats but they still did and it angered many Americans.