America’S Foreign Policy Post Wwi And Its Results

America’s Foreign Policy Post WWI and Its Results

Indisputably the United States failed to join the League of Nations, because the US senate refused to ratify the Treaty of Versailles. Despite Wilson’s extensive 1919-1920 campaign to achieve Senate approval for the treaty, he failed in part because he did not attain consensus among the Democratic and Republican parties. When peace negotiations began in October, 1918, President Wilson Woodrow played a significant role. The focal point of his arguments were based of his famous “Fourteen Points”, and he insisted those “points” needed to serve as a basis for the signing of the armistice. This of course, included the formation of the League of Nations. Wilson's desire to create a League of Nations that would form a general association of nations arose from his belief that America could force compliance with such league. Wilson's idealistic visions of a pacifistic society of nation-states existed only under the implication that America was strong enough to create such a world. Nonetheless, his visionary provision did not become a reality. Wilson returned home tired but with a renewed dedication not to compromise on the Senate floor. While Wilson attempted to install his foreign policy ideology into other countries by means of his 14 Points, Lodge tried to rally support for his foreign policies primarily through gathering opposition to the 14 Points. Prominent politicians of the time such as Henry Cabot Lodge believed in America’s neutrality or non-involment in foreign affairs, especially those that concerned Europe. Equally important, Lodge argued that agreeing to be part of the League of Nations would give other countries authority to control matters that pertained to America only. Undoubtedly, Lodge argued against Wilson’s fourteen points both on the basis of foreign policy