Wilson thought that some of the very things that were adopted in the Treaty of Versailles could lead to another way -- and they did. Things like:
- making Germany accept responsibility for the war
- imposing huge financial reparation penalties on Germany
- making Germany essentially eliminate its military
-- these were all ideas that the Treaty of Versailles included, over Wilson's objections.
The Treaty of Versailles, which came out of the Paris Peace Conference in 1919, was very punitive towards Germany. Germany was forced to admit responsibility for causing the Great War (World War I). We now call that "the war guilt" clause of the treaty. The German military had major restrictions imposed on it -- it had to be a volunteer military only, of no more than 100,000 men, and they could not have an air force. Germany also was forced to pay large reparation payments to the Allies (who opposed Germany in the war). The German economy and national pride were deeply wounded. The Great Depression was worse in Germany than in America. The bad situation in Germany made it possible for a radical leader like Hitler, making all sorts of bold promises, to win over enough people to rise to power. Hitler promised a return to national greatness and fiercely rebuilt Germany as a military machine. The rise of Hitler and the Nazis brought about World War II in Europe.
US President Woodrow Wilson had come into the Paris Peace Conference with other views. Wilson had set forth his views in a speech he delivered to Congress in January, 1918, his "14 Points" speech. The 14 Points were his proposals for how to end the Great War (World War I) and establish international peace.
Quickly summarized, these were Wilson's 14 points:
- Agreements between countries must be open, not secret.
- Freedom of navigation on the seas by all nations at all times.
- Free trade between countries accepting the peace, removing economic barriers between them.
- All nations reduce their weapons and armies "to the lowest point consistent with domestic safety."
- Adjustment of colonial claims in a fair and impartial way.
- All German troops will leave Russian territory.
- All foreign troops leave Belgium, and Belgian independence and sovereignty be restored.
- French territory should be restored, including the disputed region of Alsace-Lorraine.
- Readjustment of the borders of Italy "along clearly recognizable lines of nationality."
- Austria-Hungary retain a place among the nations, but the peoples of Austria-Hungary should be granted the accorded for independence if they so choose.
- The Central Powers' troops will leave the Balkans, and the Balkan states should enjoy political and economic independence.
- Turkey shall remain as its own country, but other nationalities under the Ottoman Empire "should be assured an undoubted security of life" and "opportunity of autonomous development."
- Poland is to be an independent country.
- "A general association of nations must be formed under specific covenants for the purpose of affording mutual guarantees of political independence and territorial integrity to great and small states alike." - I quoted the 14th point in full, as this idea from Woodrow Wilson led to the formation of the League of Nations. That was one idea of his that the Treaty of Versailles adopted.
