The year 1914 marked the start of the first World War. Civil unrest had broken out in Europe, and the effects of the war were beginning to spread. Before long, the United States had to choose a stance on their involvement. After President Woodrow Wilson’s reelection in 1916, the burden of this task fell to him. President WIlson had already expressed his apprehensiveness towards entering the war in 1914, and remained strongly for American neutrality. However, circumstances were not the same in later years as American and foreign tensions continued to rise. Once the United States joined the war in 1917, Wilson drafted his Fourteen Points. The statement included propositions on ending the war through American involvement. While pleasant in theory, President Woodrow Wilson’s Fourteen Points were idealistic an unfeasible, and would have little chance in today’s world. The main focus of Wilson’s Fourteen Points was peace and order among the nations. The statement included an outlined plan for all areas involved. The Fourteen Points listed ideas for restoration of territory in places such as France, Russia, Belgium, and Serbia. He also spoke of agreements between nations on matters including trade and sea …show more content…
For this proposal to work today, it would need serious revisions including more compromised and detailed plans for restorations of peace. The problem with the document is the fact the Fourteen Points came solely from the United States, and had no input from the other nations that had been involved. World War I was not a domestic affair left to the duty of one country, and should not have been treated as such, Due to the difference in viewpoints between the allies, there is no way the plan could have succeeded. A document akin to this one would also not survive in today’s world without serious amendment through communication and compromise between
The United States did not want to take part in World War I, the U.S simply wanted to stay neutral but then the war started to interfere with the U.S financial state. President Wilson did not want to declare war right away, instead he stated that the United States needed to prepare their army to ensure them victory. With both sides in the war running low on supplies Wilson believed it was better to be safe than sorry since the Unites States military lacked supplies, support and unity from Americans. Why is that? The U.S military around the time of the 1900’s was considered to be one of the smallest and weakest in the world because of this there was no chance against a German army of 4.5 million men.
As the situation in Europe developed into a stalemate between the Allies and the Central powers, actions taken against civilians, namely US citizens, angered the United States. Despite the mounting incentive for war, many Americans were hesitant about joining a war on the other side of the world. However, all of this changed on April 6, 1917, when Congress passed President Wilson’s resolution for war. With public opinion unsure about their participation, the government had to build public support and refocus the entire economy on the war effort. In the interest of preparing for and supporting the war, Congress gave President Wilson control over the economy, allowing him to regulate and nationalize any war-related industries.
At the end of the war Germany agreed to the 14 points and the punishments it entailed. Wilson however would foresee international relations becoming more important to american
Wilson viewed America as a nation of peace and he wanted to preserve this view. However, as time went on, the little things the U.S did while claiming its neutrality started to matter. Germans retaliated to the U.S trade with the Allies. One thing led to another and the U.S joined the war under the Allies’
We shall endeavor in spite of this to keep the United States of America neutral. In the event of this not succeeding, we make Mexico a proposal of alliance on the following basis: make war together, make peace together, generous financial support and an understanding on our part that Mexico is to reconquer the lost territory in Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona. The settlement in detail is left to you” (Zimmerman, 1). This phrase cut out from the actual document shows Germanys real intentions in the war, and is already preparing to go to war with the United States. It was obvious to President Wilson that the Germans were not going to back down, so he called the new Congress into session prematurely and asked for a declaration of war on April 2nd.
When President Wilson requested that Congress declare war on Germany, America was not ready to mobilize our troops for war. The United States had just begun to pull itself out of recession and were not ready for a war economically. Some Americans wanted to see the fall of Germany, but did not support sending our soldiers across the ocean. Despite all this, Wilson continued to push for American contribution in the war effort. Eventually, Wilson’s tactics won over and we were able to send large amounts of reinforcements into the war.
Americans initially favored neutrality, but events like the sinking of the Lusitania and the Zimmermann telegram provoked the U.S. to join the war in support of the Allies (Shi and Tindall 754-757). Less obvious factors, such as nationalism, imperialism, and business opportunity, also contributed to the war. The war ended in 1918 after immense bloodshed, but President Wilson failed to get the Treaty of Versailles ratified by the Senate (Shi and Tindall 773). As a result of the war, Europe was significantly weakened, harsh punishments were imposed on Germany that later led to WWII, and America emerged with a strong economy as a dominant world power (Shi and Tindall
On what point was Wilson absolutely unwilling to compromise on? 698 On January 8, 1918, President Wilson presented his fourteen points about the peace and aftermath of the war. He wanted the treaty to be “absolutely open,” and strived for the “self-determination” of nations. Wilson was unwilling
War Message Try putting yourself in someone else’s shoes that could risk the lives of millions. On April 2, in 1917, Woodrow Wilson delivered his speech, “War Message.” Woodrow Wilson delivered this speech four days before he made a life changing decision to enter into WWI. Woodrow Wilson urged for neutrality, but the United States was preparing for their involvement in the war by strengthening the Navy. Woodrow Wilson was the 28th president of the United States during this moment of major decision making.
This unknown fact of American being neutral or not, ultimately lead to the United States needing to enter World War I. Although the United States President at the time, Woodrow Wilson, explained the reasoning for the U.S. entering WWI was because of Germany’s submarine warfare, the violence toll that Germany took on America relates back to the concealed matter of the nation of the United States actually being neutral throughout the time before war
These events led to the shift in opinion of The United States. At the beginning of World War I, The United States declared their position as neutral. In Woodrow Wilson’s Address to Congress, he said, “The United States must be neutral in fact, as well as name, during these days that are to try men’s souls” (“Declaration”).
George Washington encouraged the United States to take a neutral approach, to avoid wars with nations in the future. Woodrow Wilson wanted to continue the policy of neutrality. He eventually asked Congress to declare war on Germany. The Government failed to sign the Treaty of Versailles and join the League of Nations. Many thought that joining the League of Nations would lead to war.
On April 2, 1917, the 28th president of the United States of America, Woodrow Wilson, delivered a speech before the Congress in order to declare war against Germany. This period of history represents the first worldwide conflict and opposes the Allied forces of the United States, Great Britain, France, Russia, Italy, and Japan against the Central Powers of Germany, Bulgaria, the Austrian-Hungarian empire, and the Ottoman empire. Woodrow Wilson involved the United States, which was originally neutral at the beginning of World War I when the Germans attacked and sank the Lusitania, a ship transporting ammunition to the allies but also American citizens. More importantly, in his speech, Woodrow Wilson explicitly states his opinion and purpose that ' 'the world must be made safe for democracy ' ' (Voices of Freedom 107) and that the immediate contribution of his nation to World War I would bring "peace and justice" (Voices of Freedom 105) to the world, as well as the end of the threatening expansion of
With President Wilson as the leader of America, he would have to make sure it was for the good of all mankind and not just America itself. Throughout his address to congress, Wilson appeals at different points to being human, mankind, and the freedom of people. This is also where the idea of the United Nations comes to light, at the time called League of Nations. The idea was that America would pursue the highest wishes of mankind for the best interest of the world. Even though the speech itself gives off the message that Americans should remain neutral in the war, Woodrow’s speech also gives the idea that this means the United States has to guide other nations in restoring justice and peace to the world against Germany’s selfish interest and power hungry war acts.
His program was an idealistic plan for peace promoting open diplomacy to remove cause for conflict, deal with territorial integrity and endorsed an international peace keeping organisation: The League of Nations. Although the Fourteen Points were imposed on the Treaty of Versailles that ultimately failed it became an important part of the idealistic ideas in Americas Foreign Policy during the 20th Century. The idea behind the League of Nations, which was also unsuccessful, has prevailed, having a lasting impact on modern day society in the United