WOODROW WILSON'S VISION FOR THE LEAGUE OF NATIONS

Woodrow Wilson's Vision for the League of Nations

Woodrow Wilson's Vision for the League of Nations

Woodrow Wilson's Vision for a new organization

Woodrow Wilson was president of America when the Versailles Treaty was signed. Unlike Georges Clemenceau he believed that a more moderate approach was needed to Germany after her defeat in World War One. In this sense, he was similar to Lloyd George of Britain who privately wanted Germany to remain relatively strong so that the country could act as a bulwark against the communism that he believed would spread from Russia (Dimitri, 1999).

From 1914 to 1917, he observed strict neutrality in the Great War but the activities of German U-boats forced his hand especially with the sinking of the 'Lusitania' in 1915 which killed 128 American citizens. On April 6th 1917, America entered the war as an "associated power" rather than as an ally of France and Britain. Ironically, Woodrow Wilson had won the 1916 national election on the slogan "He kept us out of war" (Margaret, 2001).

During the peace talks at Versailles, Woodrow Wilson presented a moderate voice. He had no doubts that Germany should be punished, but he wanted those in power punished - not the people. On January 1918, Woodrow Wilson had issued his 'Fourteen Points' as a basis for peace. He also had an idea for a League of Nations to maintain world peace. In international affairs, Woodrow Wilson proved somewhat naïve. He wanted to place the trust for future world peace in the hands of the League of Nations, yet America refused to join it. By refusing to join the League, the American political structure had seriously weakened the forerunner of the United Nations. Woodrow Wilson spent time after 1919 criss-crossing America trying to 'sell' the idea of the League. On September 26th 1919, he collapsed and his political career ended suddenly. He was an invalid for the rest of his life and died in 1924 (Dimitri, 1999).

Woodrow Wilson was an idealist whose plan for a League was permanently weakened by America's refusal to join it. His Fourteen Points were fine on paper but no nation was willing to substantially support them. As a Democrat, he had to deal with a Senate that had a Republican majority in it after the end of the war - and party loyalty meant that his ideas for a world that would be peaceful would be killed off at a political leve(Dimitri, 1999)l.

The league and nations and reasons of its failure

The League of Nations, a former international organization, was formed after World War I to promote international peace and security. The basis of the League, also called the Covenant, was written into the Treaty of Versailles and other peace treaties and provided for an assembly, a council, and a secretariat. Because the peace treaties had created the League of Nations, the League was bound to uphold their principles. but however, it became apparent that some of the terms of ...