Ex-01: Explain why President Wilson supported the creation of a League of Nations. (12 marks)

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Ex-01: Explain why President Wilson supported the creation of a League of Nations. (12 marks)

Causes

  • Wilson was an idealist
  • when he first became President in 1913 he rejected the policies of past presidents and stressed the need for an ethical foreign policy
  • Wilson himself supported the League of Nations
  • Wilson created his 14 points 11 months before the war ended (8th Jan 1918).
  • the League of Nations was the final point in his Fourteen Points and would be an essential to the Peace Treaties
  • the losses and suffering of WW1 deserved the creation of a new system which would ‘end wars’.
  • the League was an essential part of the Fourteen Points and would be an essential component of the Peace Treaties

Effects

  • who wished to create a new world order which did not reflect the power politics and secret diplomacy which he thought had caused WW1
  • he was sincere in his Christian principles, shown by his appointment of William Jennings Bryan as Secretary of State, who had argued that international disputes should be settled peacefully. One of Bryan’s most famous lectures was called ‘The Prince of Peace’
  • Wilson supported an organisation which offered a peaceful way of settling disputes, using collective security instead of international rivalries.
  • The first 5 points of his 14 points were about how nations should conduct themselves designed to avoid war. E.g. Point 1- There should be no secret treaties (which he believed were a key cause on WWI) This shows his key principles of justice and fairness
  • His aim was to create an international organisation which would settle disputes peacefully and prevent further wars. In the event of a nation being aggressive towards another the members of the League of Nations would work together to stop the aggression (through economic means or if needed military assistance)
  • the selective service act increased America’s standing army from 200,000 to a potential 4 million men, although not all sent, 112,432 men lost their lives
  • Wilson originally wished for a ‘Peace without Victory’ which would give the smaller nations self-determination and a voice in international politics – this evoked the principles of justice and fairness.

Overall summary

explain that Wilson was influenced by his vision of justice and morality in international relations but also there was a practical application in eliminating the causes of WW1 as he saw them.

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