Why Is The United States A New World Power

After the end of World War I the United States entered into a period of isolationist foreign policy. On January 8, 1918, Woodrow Wilson announced the United States’ objectives through his Fourteen Points. His fourteenth point proposed a league of nations to protect international security and stability. After the Paris Peace Conference in 1919, the Treaty

Wilson’s fourteen points summarise the quest for international cooperation in achieving and maintaining peace. However, this can be questioned as the first paragraph also suggests a self-centred approach taken by Wilson. The speech suggests that the USA is the only ones with the capacity to achieve such peace, the programme of the world's peace, therefore, is our programme; and that programme, the only possible programme. It reflects a world view and hierarchy, suggesting one big American alliance rather than an idea of international cooperation. This is also further illustrated on in Wilson’s speech, his concern for the safety of the USA is key in the way he treats countries such as Russia and Germany, and his disagreement with some of the terms in the Treaty of Versailles. In point six of the speech when dealing with Russia it talks of securing the best and freest cooperation of the other nations of the world. Wilson was careful in how he achieved peace, as he wanted to maintain relationships with countries within Europe, whilst keeping USA dominance ad not upsetting France and Clemenceau who wanted harsh treatment of Germany. This is illustrated in point eight of Wilson’s fourteen points.

The years between 1860 and 1877 are filled with many developments in the views of the American people. The North consisted of free states based on an industrial economy while the South based its agricultural economy on the enslavement of colored males and females. The two sections of America had two very different views on how the United States should become a world power. Constitutional developments such as secession of the Southern states in 1860, the Emancipation Proclamation, and other acts and amendments contributed to more discontent throughout the country. Developments such as the Black Codes, Freedmen's Bureau, and the creation of the Ku Klux Klan contributed to the Social aspect of the argument. Problems like these had been amounting

The start of the Spanish-American war also marked something bigger- American entry into world affairs. Since then, the U.S. has continued to have a significant hand in various conflicts around the world, and has entered many other treaties and agreements. In 1914, at the start of World War I (WWI), President Woodrow Wilson, in a declaration of neutrality, vowed to keep America out of the war. Inspite of this, Americans were spurred on by German aggression, violation of international law, and protecting economic interests. The U.S. had entered the war, creating a major turning point. The war ended with Germany's defeat. As a determining force in the victory of the war, America became almost soley in charge of creating a post-war agenda. But,

Wilson's peace plan, known as the Fourteen Points, introduced the idea of the League of Nations. The League of Nations would bind together all of the countries involved in order to resolve conflicts peacefully and protect independence. Wilson very much wanted the United States to be a part of the League, which would prevent a return to isolationism (Document G). Article Ten of the Treaty of Versailles outlines some of the obligations attached to being a member of the League. This article states that if any nation who is a part of the League is under attack or in danger, all other countries are mandated to come to their aid (Document E). The League of Nations, and this article in particular, caused a great deal of controversy in the U.S. Henry Cabot Lodge, a Reservationist senator, gave a speech to show his objection to the League. Lodge believed the United States should focus its efforts on self-betterment, rather than being forced to "play the part of umpire" in European affairs of no direct interest (Document D). Lodge's discontent with the circumstances that would be created by the League were also shared by the majority of senators, leading to the rejection of the Treaty of Versailles. This decision allowed the U.S. to return to its former isolated

Many historians continue to argue about president Woodrow Wilson’s success at the Paris Peace Conference, however the conference is regarded as one of Wilson’s biggest failures during his days. The Paris Peace Conference’s main goal was to establish the terms of peace after World War One. Moreover France and Britain which are known as the dominant powers of the Triple Entente, were seeking revenge and wanted to make Germany suffer after their glorious victory against the Triple Alliance. On the other hand president Woodrow Wilson was looking to “make the world safe for democracy (1).” President Woodrow Wilson outlined what he wanted in his famous fourteen points. His polices led to economic instability in addition to “ he invaded a number of

In his Fourteen Points speech, he said, “A general association of nations must be formed under specific covenants for the purpose of affording mutual guarantees of political independence and territorial integrity to great and small states alike.” He believed states should work together and not let differences divide them so as to avoid another large-scale war like this one was. Leaders and delegates from all over the world met at this conference to discuss rules and regulations for how the League would operate, with meetings lasting for months, arguing over clauses and what should the League of Nations should be allowed to do or take control of. After four months of discussions and negotiations, the League of Nations adopted their “covenant”, as Wilson called it, and would rule as an assembly of countries to meet

When other nations jumped into WWI in 1914, America adopted a policy of neutrality. News of the horrors of the war convinced Americans that they had taken the right approach. Many could not believe that a civilized society could resort to such atrocities. Germany’s use of U-boats in unrestricted submarine warfare finally pushed the U.S. to declare war. President Wilson urged for peace based upon the idea of a League of Nations, where many nations would act as one to preserve the peace of all. Although WWI pitted country against country, it also galvanized America, ushering in an era of massive change. Wilson dictated that “Peace had to be a peace of reconciliation, a peace without victory, for a victor’s peace would leave a sting, a resentment, a bitter memory upon which terms of peace would rest, not permanently, but only upon quicksand” (Trueman). Peace came in 1918, although it was not a peace without victory, and a colossal shift in the way of life followed soon after (Trueman).

The many nations that were part of the Allied powers met in the Palace of Versailles in France to negotiate what would happen to the nations that were part of the Axis powers, Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Turkey. In the negotiations, President Wilson proposed and argued for his Fourteen Points. These points consisted of restrictions, land redistribution, and establishments that President Wilson believed would prevent war in the future. Among these points, he included the eradication of any and all economic obstructions and barriers as well as the establishment of a

Wilson’s Fourteen Points embodied his vision of a better world governed by fairer principles. He felt guided “by the hand of God.” His vision of a peacekeeping “League of Nations” was, in his view, the key element to a “secure and lasting peace” and was the “most essential part of the peace settlement.” If the diplomats

They say time is a great teacher. How true. History has taught us that peace must be kept at all costs. At the end of World War 1, the common goal between the victorious nations throughout the world was to declare peace. The leading statesmen of these triumphant nations met in Paris to draw up the Treaty of Versailles, which would decide the fate of the central powers. Woodrow Wilson, the American President, created fourteen points as the basis for peace negotiations. Among these fourteen points was the most controversial and yet the most important to President Wilson, the League of Nations.

The United States got involved in WWI in 1917. Tensions began between the U.S. and Germany with the sinking of civilian and commercial ships using U-boats (submarines). An example of this was the sinking of a passenger liner called the Lusitania. About 1,200 people died in this incident, which included 128 Americans. These sinkings caused President Woodrow Wilson to threaten to break diplomatic relations in the case the Germans did not stop. The already existing tensions grew in 1917 when the Germans said they would sink merchant ships heading toward British or other Western European ports. To add to this, it was later discovered that the Germans had promised to help Mexico takeover the American state New Mexico if they assisted the Germans

The first years of WWI, the U.S. made certain to remain out of the way. Germany’s resumption of submarine attacks on passenger and merchant ships became the primary motivation behind Wilson’s decision to lead the United States into World War I. Following the sinking of an unarmed French boat, the Sussex, in the English Channel, Wilson threatened to sever diplomatic relations with Germany unless the German Government refrained from attacking all passenger ships and allowed the crews of enemy merchant vessels to abandon their ships prior to any attack. The Germans promised that they would not sink unarmed passenger ships without warning, however, they promised twice and twice they broke their promise. Americans

Wilson’s purpose of this speech was to commemorate the end of the war, where Wilson was urging for peace. The fourteen points that were listed by President Wilson were intended by him to be utilized as guidelines for the peace settlement. Where the first five of the points were utilized to establish what were Wilson’s general ideals of peace. “Absolute freedom of navigation upon the seas, outside territorial waters, alike in peace and in war, except as the seas may be closed in whole or in part by international action for the enforcement of international covenants,” (Wilson) where Wilson states that the seas shall be free of outside of territorial waters in peace and war, where only in the case of enforce treaties may

Wilson called World War II “The war to end all wars.” It is very likely he would want to see this through to the end and make sure that world war would never happen again. Because of this, many of his fourteen points were very peaceful and did not appoint a winner or loser. It also required a great deal of international cooperation in which many countries were not ready to participate. Absolute freedom of naval navigation in either peace or war is quite a long stretch for many of the nations that had just been severely battered and blockaded. International reduction of arms and the removal of economic barriers had the possibility of reducing the defense, both militarily and economically to dangerously low levels. His fourteen points also made many suggestions concerning land and areas that had been involved in conflict stretching back even to the Prussian occupation of Alsace-Lorraine. Such suggestions included an evaluation of colonial claims, of Russian territory, and the restoration of states like Romania, Serbia, and Montenegro. Of course, the Alsace-Lorraine was to be restored to France, which caused even more of a struggle for Germany to support itself. All of these were penultimate to Wilson’s sincere desire for a league of many nations working together to promote world peace.