Terms
Treaty of Versailles: Treaty European countries signed with Germany and Austria-Hungary following the Great War. Many of the ideas, especially the League of Nations, an international confederation of nations to limit military struggle, were ideas of Woodrow Wilson. The Treaty was passed by all of the European countries, however, it failed in the United States Senate. The failure was mainly due to Article X, the provision in the treaty mandating entrance into the League of Nations. Opposition to ratification of the Treaty was led by Henry Cabot Lodge. The Treaty imposed severly punitive measures on Germany and dissolved Austria-Hungary into several smaller nations.
Demobilization: The process of changing a wartime economy into a peacetime economy. Several matters had to be dealt with; the assimilation of vetrans into jobs, the changing over of factories from wartime products to peacetime products, and the paying off of war bonds. Cars began to be manufactured again, and the auto industry boomed, spurning growth in many other areas related to the auto industry. These areas included road construction, rubber production, and the process of obtaining raw materials.
14 Points and the League of Nations: The 14 points were Wilson's manifesto for lasting peace. They argued for "open covenants of peace openly arrived at," including:
Isolationism: proponents of the philosophy of Isolation argued that the "Great War" had only planted the seeds for another war. They argued that up to the First World War, Americans had successfully practiced George Washington's policy of Isolation and that it had worked before: why change? Isolationists argued that America could have peace only by shutting itself off from the rest of the world.
Internationalism: Proponents of the minority view of Internationalism, such as President Wilson, defended America's entry into World War I as a matter of national security. Internationalists claimed that by rejecting world leadership, America was endangering its own security. Only by cooperating with peace loving nations could America have lasting peace. They also argued that Isolation was unrealistic in a modern age because of scientific progress and economic factors.
Difficulties of Neutrality: While the official policy of America for the first years of the War was neutral, most Americans took sides. Except for Irish Americans and some German-Americans, the public was in general pro-allies. In addition, Wilson and his staff obviously leaned toward supporting the allies.
Weapons of Modern Terror: World War I saw the use of many new and very destructive weapons. Tanks and planes were first used, as well as poison gas, submarines and machine guns.
German U-boat Attacks/Submarine Blockade: The Germans nearly starved Britain with their unresticted submarine warfare. German submarines, or U-Boats would attack by surprise on British surface vessels and fire torpedos at them, generally sinking them.
Intervention in Central America: Wilson denounced Roosevelts "Big Stick" foreign policy, but in fact used the military prowess of America far more than his predecessor. After a Civil War in the dominican republic, Wilson ordered in the marines and took control of the government in May 1916. In Haiti, the marines propped up a pro-American regime at the expense of the people of the country. Wilson attempted to remove Huerta's "goverment of butchers" in Mexico, which led to a fiasco in which marines followed the mexican rebel Pauncho Villa 300 miles south of the border.
United States Reasons for entering World War I
RMHS High School
Copyright 1997 by Jonathan Bird
Updated 25 April 1997 1:13 P.M.