President Woodrow Wilsons Fourteen Points In January 1918

President Woodrow Wilson’s Fourteen Points

In January, 1918 American President Woodrow Wilson provided the American public with the rationale behind American involvement in the European war. The potential costs of this involvement were very high, and Americans needed a noble cause to justify such a sacrifice. These points also became a staple for consideration at the Paris Peace Conference at the end of the war. *

Wilson's innovative proposals for the peace were a significant departure from the way that Europeans had dealt with peace-making in the past (based on winning something for your country). Wilson, however, was determined that this would be a just peace, a "peace without victory". Wilson hoped that his vision would help to establish a new world order - a lasting peace, through which countries would work together to resolve conflict through nonmilitary means.

The most important of his fourteen points were: A. Outlawing alliances B. Freedom of the seas C. Free trade D. Disarmament E. Return of (Russian) territories conquered by Germany F. Alsace-Lorraine returned to France G. Self-Determination H. Formation of a League of Nations

Self-Determination:

Self-Determination: - Ethnic groups would vote on the issue of whom they would prefer to live with or to be governed by. Considerations: - This would dismantle many of Europe's declining empires. - Created many problems as lines re-drawn: many minorities still scattered within the borders of new countries. - Gave hope to subject peoples around the world. - Some notable exceptions that contributed to World War II

Austro-Hungarian Empire

Ottoman Empire

Collective Security:

• community of nations that would guarantee each other's safety • idea that peace-loving nations could use arbitration to solve disputes and, furthermore, that the threat of collective action on the part of all members would be enough to deter aggressors. If that was not enough, economic sanctions would be imposed by all members against the aggressor. • Idealistic • required the formation of an international body, a "League of Nations" with memberships to countries willing to replace self-interest with a mutual concern for the security of all member nations.