As we head into the next unit, I wanted to give everybody a
head start on part of what’s to come in chapter 33. I have chosen to talk briefly about Wilson’s
14 Points because I think they play such an important roll in politics,
specifically in the inter-war period, and are ultimately one of the factors
that cause World War Two.
Had Wilson’s Fourteen Points been adopted, WWII might have
indeed been averted. Woodrow Wilson had
hoped that his vision of the world, post WWI, would guaranty the independence
and territorial integrity of all countries whether large or small. He truly believed his plan would provide a ”just
and secure peace”, and not just another “balance of power” system.
Eight of his fourteen points dealt with territorial issues
among the combatant nations, while five others dealt with principals for world
peace such as the abolishment of secret treaties among nations, freedom of the
seas, free trade, cutting down defense spending, and the adjustment of colonial
claims based on the principal of self determination. His fourteenth point paved the way for the
establishment of the League of Nations.
This plan was hailed as a landmark for enlightenment in world diplomacy. Wilson used his Fourteen Points Plan as the
basis for the Versailles Treaty that
ended the First World War.
The negotiation
in Versailles didn’t go the way Wilson had hoped it would. The warring factions
did not want to let go of their colonial territories. They also penalized Germany with a huge
financial burden and territorial concessions, which Germans grew to resent, and
thus gave rise to the Nazi Party. The
treaty wasn’t ratified in the U.S. Senate, despite having huge public support.
Germany ended up signing a separate treaty with the U.S. which did not even
mention the league of nations.
I could go on and on, explaining specifically how the
upholding of various points could have prevented World War Two. Instead, I am going to open it up to the
class, in hopes that we can all benefit from our combined knowledge. Does anybody know of more ways in which the
upholding of specific points could have prevented World War Two?
I know this is all a bit ahead of where we are at, but I
just wanted to share part of why I think they are important so that we can pay
attention closely as we read further about World War One.
Sources: American Pageant Textbook
http://history.state.gov/milestones/1914-1920/fourteen-points
I think that if Wilson's peace plan was executed, the excessive financial burden placed on Germany would not have occurred. Due to the stipulations of Versailles, Weimar Germany experienced extensive economic strife. And it is in this panic that people turn to extremism and allow someone like Hitler to come to power.
ReplyDeleteI believe that with Wilson's idea of The League of Nations working properly and efficiently it would create an inability for countries to challenge the League. If they truly had used the power that it could've had then no country including Germany would've been able to oppose the League because so many different world powers would crack down on the one that is out of place. Unfortunately even if this was to be successful the main issue would just turn to keeping the League not corrupt and fair.
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