Fourteen points

Woodrow Wilson’s decision to give his Fourteens Points speech contributed to the end of World War I, was the basis for many peace treaties and paved the road for future nations and alliances. ” Covenants of peace be quickly arrived at so that this war can end and future nations can begin.” These are some of the words of Woodrow Wilson said when he delivered the powerful Fourteen Points speech at the joint session of Congress and many other important meetings including the Paris Peace Conference. At this time World War I had erupted in Europe causing much turmoil and hatred between the Allies and the Central Powers. Wilson wanted America to stay neutral but after several attacks on U. S ships and a seemingly never-ending war U. S joined the war on April 6, 1917. Then 10 months before the armistice with Germany Woodrow Wilson gave the Fourteen Points speech which would eventually help end the war. What Wilson was basically trying to accomplish was to assure Europe that the United States that World War I was being fought for a moral cause. It was also a guideline of how to fairly write peace treaties, pinpoint what caused the war and to learn from these mistakes so that the future world would know how to avoid another huge war. For example his first point is ” There should be no secret alliances between countries” which was the main reason why World War I begin. His speech was so powerful and inspiring it was used as propaganda to boost the Allies moral and encourage the Central Powers to surrender under an equal agreement. Wilson’s speech became very popular and was excepted by so many Europeans that Wilson on October 1918 sent a letter to the German imperial chancellor Prince Maximilian of Baden. He requested a immediate end to the war and to begin peace negotiations based on the Fourteen Points. Many say that Wilson Fourteens Points was a waste of time and wasn’t influence in peace negotiations or treaties. They say that when the Fourteen Points was to be incorporated into the treaty it was manipulated and changed to the Allies advantage. All European political leaders wanted was vengeance and the destruction of Germany. The great hope and determination that the Fourteen Points gave was not felt in the USA so much as in the European countries hoping for the war to end. When the Treaty of Versailles was finally signed their dreams were gone. After all the changes the League was manipulated to the point where U. S had no power and the European leaders kept theirs. The hopes of kindness and equality to Germany that Wilson truly wanted was ruined. The treaty made them accept responsibility of starting the war, give back occupied nations and pay over 132 billion marks in reparations to original Ally countries. In the U. S a group of senators headed by Henry Cabot Lodge saw what happened to the Fourteen Points and disapproved. Especially Article X which said the League of Nations could declare war without U. S vote. The seven senators convinced thirty-nine others not to ratify the treaty.