Opposition was a natural reaction to war weariness

The American public were against Woodrow’s campaign to make the US a part of the League of Nations, this was a natural reaction to war weariness. America joined the war late and therefore had far less casualties than other nations involved, it totalled to some 21 million casualties, and this was enough to turn Americans against ‘Europe’s war’. They didn’t want to be involved in anything. The long months of diplomatic issues in the conferences meant that people were less excited than they were in 1919. People tended to focus on domestic issues such Prohibition and those who opposed American entanglement abroad had the chance to be heard. 

There were also key personalities who influenced this national debate, especially the class between Woodrow Wilson and Senator Henry Lodge. Lodge was far from an isolationist and believed that America should start acting like a world power. However, Woodrow’s stubbornness that the League of Nations was the only way forward meant that he alienated former allies and might have missed an opportunity to come up with a reasonable compromise. 

Woodrow also upset leading politicians such as Senator William; he campaigned against the League of Nation because of William’s stubbornness. He and the public also thought that they Treaty of Versailles agreement was too harsh, and after the public had witnessed the consequences of the war, they wanted nothing to do with Europe.