Woodrow Wilson is regarded by historians as one of the best statesman and President of the 20th century in the United States history. His brilliance was evident in his academics, having been a college professor before joining politics and later ending up being as the only president with a PHD. Born in 1856 his best attributes were his level of confidence which won him over his admirers and critics alike. Later in life Woodrow would serve as a Governor for New Jersey and two years later become head of the highest office in the land, the presidency. During his tenure, imperial competitions amongst the Europe monarchies escalated as all forms of dirty tricks were implored in pursuit of larger territories. Europe plunged into war in summertime 1914 and Wilson being an advocate for peace asked his fellow Americans to be impartial in mind and actions . Wilson having witnessed the civil war as a boy was quite aware of the devastating effects the war brought. His second term as president was met with increased pressure from the allies and sympathizers to join the war. He, however, stood his ground for a while and surprisingly sought to arbitrate the matter to bring an end to the war. Woodrow’s peace efforts were fruitless as Germany turned on the U.S.A and propagated ways of attacking them.
Woodrow’s insights on world peace were hailed despite the U.S.A joining the war. His diplomatic foreign administration would lead to armistice despite the strain put by Germany and her sympathizers. On January 8, 1918, President Woodrow would face the congress and present his inquiry which would later be popularly referred to as the Fourteen Points. His belief on global acceptance of the speech would resolve to world peace and create a just worl...
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...ptical on the fourteen point speech, the implementation was performed amicably, and some parts of the world were able to embrace the changes. Despite his failures, President Woodrow Wilson earned his place with the likes of the great Abraham Clinton and Gorge Washington in American history
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On January 8, 1918 Wilson presented to Congress his speech The Fourteen Points. This was a plan for freedom and peace after the war (http://www.angelfire.com/in3/wilson/wilson.html). Without going into details of the entire Fourteen Points, a quote from u-s-history.com list the following:
In the book, America’s Great War: World War I and the American Experience, Robert H. Zieger discusses the events between 1914 through 1920 forever defined the United States in the Twentieth Century. When conflict broke out in Europe in 1914, the President, Woodrow Wilson, along with the American people wished to remain neutral. In the beginning of the Twentieth Century United States politics was still based on the “isolationism” ideals of the previous century. The United States did not wish to be involved in European politics or world matters. The U.S. goal was to expand trade and commerce throughout the world and protect the borders of North America.
But Wilson's legacy was not confined to foreign policy. His progressive domestic programs helped stabilize and humanize a huge industrial system, and his success in making the presidency the intellectual and political leader of the American government enabled the United States to deal effectively with the challenges and threats of the modern world. But don't forget the credit of Roosevelt's "New Imperialism. " It became the hallmark of American foreign policy in the new century, positioning America as the leader of the Western alliance.
When World War I broke out in Europe, Woodrow Wilson announced that the United States would stay out of European affairs and remain neutral. Wilson was aware that the United States had no interest in the matters that did not directly affect the interests of American citizens. He hoped that the United States would remain neutral and continue to trade with warring nations. The American view of neutrality meant we were entitled to safely and freely trade with either side at war as long as it was out in the open seas. The United States hoped to stay out of the way because war was viewed as wasteful, irrational, and immoral.
In his book, “Woodrow Wilson Revolution, War, and Peace” by Arthur Link, Link walks step by step through President Woodrow Wilson’s career beginning from the time he was born and focuses on his role during and after World War I. Through his entire book, Link acts as an apologist for the actions of Wilson as well as argues against the opinions of other historians. Link speaks about Wilson almost as if he idolizes him; as if despite what other historians and public opinion might say that he can do no wrong.
World War I, or the Great War, lasted from 1914 to 1918. In harsh battles between some of the world’s strongest economic powers, millions of people were killed and wounded. Woodrow Wilson was the President of the United States during these years, and he yearned for peace. Towards the end of the conflict, Wilson delivered a speech called “Fourteen Points” on January 8, 1918. His goal in doing so was to create some stability in a time of crisis. Even though the leaders of some countries did not jump on board right away, they eventually agreed to signing the Treaty of Versailles, officially ending the war. Through emphasizing peace, security, and freedom, President Woodrow Wilson’s “Fourteen Points” paid off overall, ultimately revealing that
The progressive era was a period of social activism and political reform in the United States. The political climate was ripe for reform and America was seeking leaders who could provide a new, more beneficial direction. Theodore Roosevelt and Woodrow Wilson were two of the most renowned presidents of this era. One kindred goal of both of these presidents was to monitor and rectify large trust and monopolies in the U.S. Despite the fact that Wilson and Roosevelt’s domestic policies were correlative of each other, their foreign policies were very different from one another. Roosevelt tended to become more involved with foreign events. On the other hand, Wilson favored remaining impartial in foreign affairs. Wilson didn’t want to become entangled in World War 1 until the United States had been directly stricken.
Turner, Wesley. The War of 1812. The War That Both Sides Won. Toronto: Dundurn Press, 1990
Although his intentions were in the best interests of the world’s nations, Wilson’s method of getting the Versailles Treaty ratified ultimately led to its failure of passage by his own country. Not consulting the Senate during treaty negotiations was a terrible first step, but the president’s subsequent hard-line stance and unwillingness to concede anything left no chance for the doctrine to be passed. President Wilson is solely to blame for the Versailles Treaty’s failure. How prophetic he was in September of 1919, when in a pro-treaty speech he said, “I am obliged to come to you in mortification and shame and say I have not been able to fulfill the promise. You are betrayed. You have fought for something that you did not get.”
As students of history in the 21st century, we have many comprehensive resources pertaining to the First World War that are readily available for study purposes. The origin of these primary, secondary and fictional sources affect the credibility, perspective and factual information resulting in varying strengths and weaknesses of these sources. These sources include propaganda, photographs, newspapers, journals, books, magazine articles and letters. These compilations allow individuals to better understand the facts, feeling and context of the home front and battlefield of World War One.
The issue both Presidents faced was whether or not to enter any of the world wars. Both president Woodrow Wilson and Roosevelt felt remaining neutral and not involving themselves in European affairs was the best solution. Wilson himself stated that “the United States must be neutral in fact as well as in name …” for entering the war was not something he or the American
On April 2nd 1917, President Woodrow Wilson of the United States of America, ??went before Congress and called for a declaration of war. Both the House and the Senate voted overwhelmingly in favor of going to war with Germany.?# This was an act that led to much resistance among the American people. Not four months earlier the American people re-elected President Wilson, partly because of his success in keeping the United States out of this European war. However, a series of events, such as the Germans continuing submarine warfare and the attacks on five American ships, led President Wilson to sever diplomatic relations with Germany and send the United States into what would be labeled as World War I. As a result of the war the
When the peace processes were to start after the finishing of World War One, there were four people who were major components in the treaty of Paris: Clemenceau, George, Orlando, and Wilson. Clemenceau wanted revenge on the German's by punishing them through the treaties because he believed that they were at fault for the war; George was in agreement with Clemenceau although he did not feel that Germany should suffer severe punishment; Orlando who wanted the irredenta to be re-established; and President Wilson of the United States of America wanted to create a mild peace with Germany in a fair way. In view of this, Wilson created fourteen points that he wanted accomplished in full as a result of the peace treaties. His fourteen points were his plan for a world peace and included plans for the end of secret treaties, freedom of the seas, free trade, arms reduction, the just settlement of colonial claims, the establishment of a League of Nations, and the evacuation of occupied territories and national self-determination. Many of his points were carried out in the Treaty of Versailles, although not all of them were successful or followed completely.
Lenin’s decree states good points on how to achieve a brief period of peace and opens it up to negotiations on how to alter the decree to better serve the purpose of peace. The Fourteen Points directly say exactly what Wilson believes is needed and is included in his declaration of entering the war. The Fourteen Points possibly would have been the best plan for the world and did help with the good aspects of the conclusion of the war; however, every country in Europe had it’s own agenda that did not adhere to the wants of the foreign United States of America. In the course of human history, what is best for the people of the world is not what transpires and this is evidently seen in the ambitious ideals put forth by Vladimir Lenin and Woodrow
To begin with, Woodrow Wilson, the 28th president of the United States is one of the most influential and known idealist in history. He is recognized as an idealist because of his admirable ambitions and his strive for excellence. He had a major role after World War One, when he presented his Fourteen Points. The Fourteen Points were meant to bring peace to the world and make it so that another tragic war like the Great War would not occur again. His Fourteen Points Speech is a perfect example of idealism because in the speech Wilson talked about free trade, self-determination, disarmament, freedom of the seas, and the most important part of the speech was the League of Nat...