The “Treaty of Versailles” initiated the beginning of the anger Germany felt toward their opponents, the allied forces, at the end of World War I. Prior to this treaty’s creation, Woodrow Wilson unveiled an alternative plan, a plan intended to reunite that nations of the world and to heal the countries affected by World War I. However, rather than serve as a reunifying force, the plan was rejected in favor of a more punitive resolution, and the rejection of the ideals presented in Woodrow Wilson’s “Fourteen Points” contributed to the national attitudes that made World War II possible.
Nearly a year before the peace talks took place in Paris, President Woodrow Wilson presented a plan on January 8th, 1918 for lasting peace to the United States …show more content…
Though the United States Congress agreed with Wilson’s plan, and though his idea of implementing a league of nations that would work together for peace in the years to come, most of his “Fourteen Points” faced repudiation in favor of the expectation that Germany pay for the war. First, many of the representatives present at the peace talks in Paris were members of countries that had participated in the practice of having “secret treaties and agreements” with other nations prior to the beginning of World War I, and they simply were not in a position to nonchalantly ignore their pacts, especially if the pacts they were in direct “conflict with the principle of self- determination enunciated by Wilson.” Secondly, the political and national concerns of individual countries caused some governments to move away from Wilson’s plan. For example, the prime minister of Great Britain in 1918, won the election due to his view/ conviction of making Germany suffer for its role in the war, was not in a position that made it easy for him to adopt Wilson’s program, which would basically forgive Germany for its actions. In fact, Wilson’s sentiments were contrary to the feelings of many Europeans who wanted to hold Germany responsible to the highest degree because they felt that their human rights and personal safety was violated by Germany’s …show more content…
Wilson’s points centered on the theme that the countries of the world must agree on all terms and provide support to nations of the world. The Treaty of Versailles permitted countries to remain loyal to their factions instead of promoting the unity of all nations in the world. Wilson’s ”league of nations,” created to prevent future wars, was not strong enough by itself to stand up against the forces of division and nationalism that the Treaty of Versailles supported. The European nations expected Germany to pay, perhaps rightfully so, and had no intentions of offering impartiality to Germany, an attitude that fostered division instead of peace among all nations of the world. The Treaty of Versailles favored recompense over reconciliation and required that Germany accept responsibility not only for itself, but also for its allies exhibiting all the loss and damage onto the nations impacted from the war. France and Britain felt that it was important that Germany admit its leadership role in coordinating the devastating acts that were taken against British and French citizens at the hands of the military forces of Germany, Russia, and Italy. To them, it was not enough that Germany sign a treaty
Nearly a year before the peace talks took place in Paris, President Woodrow Wilson presented a plan on January 8th, 1918 for lasting peace to the United States …show more content…
Though the United States Congress agreed with Wilson’s plan, and though his idea of implementing a league of nations that would work together for peace in the years to come, most of his “Fourteen Points” faced repudiation in favor of the expectation that Germany pay for the war. First, many of the representatives present at the peace talks in Paris were members of countries that had participated in the practice of having “secret treaties and agreements” with other nations prior to the beginning of World War I, and they simply were not in a position to nonchalantly ignore their pacts, especially if the pacts they were in direct “conflict with the principle of self- determination enunciated by Wilson.” Secondly, the political and national concerns of individual countries caused some governments to move away from Wilson’s plan. For example, the prime minister of Great Britain in 1918, won the election due to his view/ conviction of making Germany suffer for its role in the war, was not in a position that made it easy for him to adopt Wilson’s program, which would basically forgive Germany for its actions. In fact, Wilson’s sentiments were contrary to the feelings of many Europeans who wanted to hold Germany responsible to the highest degree because they felt that their human rights and personal safety was violated by Germany’s …show more content…
Wilson’s points centered on the theme that the countries of the world must agree on all terms and provide support to nations of the world. The Treaty of Versailles permitted countries to remain loyal to their factions instead of promoting the unity of all nations in the world. Wilson’s ”league of nations,” created to prevent future wars, was not strong enough by itself to stand up against the forces of division and nationalism that the Treaty of Versailles supported. The European nations expected Germany to pay, perhaps rightfully so, and had no intentions of offering impartiality to Germany, an attitude that fostered division instead of peace among all nations of the world. The Treaty of Versailles favored recompense over reconciliation and required that Germany accept responsibility not only for itself, but also for its allies exhibiting all the loss and damage onto the nations impacted from the war. France and Britain felt that it was important that Germany admit its leadership role in coordinating the devastating acts that were taken against British and French citizens at the hands of the military forces of Germany, Russia, and Italy. To them, it was not enough that Germany sign a treaty