The Influence Of Woodrow Wilson's Speech

In compiling a list of influential Americans, Woodrow Wilson would have to be one of the forerunners, because of his enormous contribution to American history. Wilson was the President of the United States throughout the entirety of the first World War, which proved to be quite influential worldwide. Since it seemed that the American people were getting tired of being in the war, Wilson chose to give a speech to Congress on January 8, 1918 in which he outlined his plan to end World War I. Wilson’s speech eventually became the basis of the Treaty of Versailles that would end the war (Alchin). Wilson’s speech, “Fourteen Points,” had an immense impact on the American people through his choice to give the speech when he did, uniting the citizens …show more content…
In the first place, this speech was able to move people because everyone had heard it or read it. This speech was printed worldwide for all to read, which resulted in so many people being exposed to Wilson’s plan to end the war. It was even printed by the millions and thrown over Germany by plane to spread Wilson’s ideas even farther (Clemenceau). Wilson’s plan was beyond enticing to people that they felt obligated to spread it to the people of Germany. For this reason, people even went through the troubles to spread it by plane, as a result of the spirit that the speech gave them. Another effect that Wilson’s speech had on the world was when it led to increased hostility from Germany and France because they were against his vision (Clemenceau). The fact that his speech was affecting them exemplifies its influence throughout the world. The French and Germans were unhappy with Wilson’s speech, because it set out a plan for them to lose the war. This also showed that Wilson accomplished his goal, because this made the people in Europe want to fight in the war again, since the French and Germans wanted to win even more now. Another aspect of his speech that shows its effect is how Wilson established the League of Nations. The League of Nations was not fully effective and promptly failed, but it still was influential because, it created the idea of a group of nations though that would eventually give way to the United Nations (“Wilson delivers Fourteen Points speech”). The United Nations is still an extremely powerful organization today which shows it lasting effects. This helps prove how Wilson’s speech was monumental and still affects the world today. One final way in which Wilson’s “Fourteen Points” affected the world was how many of Wilson’s points were included in the treaty that ended the war, called the Treaty of Versailles. The Treaty