Woodrow Wilson and World War 1 - Research Paper Example

?Woodrow Wilson and World War Introduction Woodrow Wilson was the 28th President of the United Sates of America. As a Democratic Party candi he was elected to power in 1913. He served as the president for two terms until 1921.1 He was the only President with a PhD degree. 2 He had no belief in the Presidential form of government in the earlier years of his political career. He considered that the checks and balances in the U.S. Constitution did not provide for accountability on any arm of the federal structure. He rather advocated Parliamentary form of government. However in the later years he gained confidence in the Presidential system and got elected twice as the President.3 World War 1 World War 1 started in the year 1914 among the European countries due to the deep rooted naval rivalry between the great powers especially Great Britain and Germany who had amicably settled their differences only temporarily. France had misgivings about its lost provinces of Alsace and Lorraine to Germany and the resultant enmity had been brewing between them. Austria-Hungary and Russia had been resisting war with the Balkan countries in the years 1912 and 1913. In fact Europe had been witnessing a series of crises since 1900 that had brought great powers almost close to war. By 1914, the differences among these countries became insoluble and they started engaging in war against one another. 4 The United States remained neutral for some years before it was forced into war due to Germany’s aggressive postures. Woodrow Wilson did not believe in wars and advised the citizens of America not to take sides in the war that was in progress in Europe among Germany and Great Britain and others. Wilson lost his wife in 1915 and he later married Edith Boling Galt as his second wife in the same year. In the same year, Germany’s sinking of ships of Britain gave an opportunity for Wilson to mediate between the warring countries of Europe. His visit to Europe for convening a peace conference was reciprocated by European powers. Although the United States was growing in power, it was finding it difficult to protect her trading rights in the midst wars that were fought for victory and survival.5 Declaration of Neutrality Woodrow Wilson, in his message to Congress urged his countrymen to remain neutral. Since people of the United States had their origins of many nations at war in Europe, it was quite natural for them to take conflicting stands. But as the citizens of the United States they should be bound together without exciting passions. If the people are divided, then it would not be possible to maintain peace and mediate as an impartial country. 6 First Warning to Germany Since Germany had been indulging in destroying merchant vessels of the United Sates and killing its people , Wilson issued his first warning to Germany on 10 February 1915 to the then Imperial German Government against attacking merchant vessels on the high seas without entering and searching for any contraband. He informed the German Government that it would be held to a strict accountability in case of attack on the merchant vessels of the U.S. resulting in loss of lives and property.7 War message to congress In view of the continued belligerence of Germany against the United States, Wilson announced severance of diplomatic relations with Germany from 3 February 1917. In his war message to the congress on 2 April 1917, Wilson informed that Germany was indiscriminately sinking ships of neutral and friendly nations which was a challenge to all mankind. When all the affected nations were to decide how to meet the situations, the United Sates would not take action in a spirit of revenge or assertion of the country’s physical might but as the vindication of human right which the nation championed. On 26th February it was informed to the Congress that the country would assert its neutral rights with arms, right to use the sea in retaliation of unlawful interference, right to safeguard its people against unlawful violence. But as things stood in April, it was no longer possible to maintain armed neutrality. He urged the congress to declare war against Germany as part of his constitutional duty in times of crisis when one should not be wavering. 8 Wilson’s Fourteen points Wilson announced in the joint session on January 8, 1918, the famous 14 points in an effort to put an end to the War that had been razing for years together.9 He informed that representatives of Russia as well as Central powers had both been sending out messages for an initiative of possible peace and settlement. And that accordingly, Wilson presented a statement of 14 points as terms settlement for durable peace in the regions of hostilities. The fourteen points were 1) Once the conditions of peace are agreed upon in a transparent manner in public view, there should be no private international understanding except through diplomacy which should be available for public scrutiny. 2) Ships of nations should be able to freely navigate without hindrance outside their territorial waters except when seas are closed as part of enforcement of international agreements. 3) All economic barriers must be lifted as far as possible and free trade facilitated among nations agreeing to peace. 4) Disarmament should be carried out by the consenting nations and it should be to the lowest level sufficient only for domestic safety. 5) All colonial claims must be treated strictly according to the principle of sovereignty of the population concerned. 6) All occupied territories of Russia should be evacuated. And Russia should be allowed to develop as a nation of its own determination and join the society of free nations. 7) Belgium should also be evacuated and her full sovereignty restored. 8) Similarly all occupied territories of France should be evacuated and Prussia must right the wrong caused to France in the former’s capture of Alsace and Lorraine to the latter which had been the cause of peace disturbances for about fifty years. 9) Italy’s frontiers should be realigned. 10) Austria and Hungary should be allowed to develop as autonomous states. 11) Rumania, Serbia and Montenegro should also be returned with their occupied territories. Serbia should enjoy free access to the sea and the Balkan states must be encouraged to develop friendly relations with one another. 12) The Turkish part of the existing Ottoman Empire should be accorded sovereignty and peoples of other nationalities in that region should be guaranteed with security of life and autonomous development. The Dardanelles should become a free passage for ships and international commerce facilitated with guarantee from the international community. 13) An independent Poland with areas occupied by Polish populations should be formed with free access to the sea and political and economic independence and territorial integrity guaranteed by an international agreement. 14) Formation of an association of nations with mutual guarantees of political independence and territorial integrity for both large and small states alike.10 Wilson elaborated his fourteen point’s speech in his address to the U.S. Congress on 11 February 1918 calling upon the belligerent nations to come out with terms of peace settlement. He mentioned the four principles that were applied to the fourteen points. They were 1) the terms of settlement must be for a permanent peace. 2) There should be no barter of people and barter of provinces. 3) The territorial settlement must be for serving the interest of the population in the respective territory and not as a compromise amongst the warring states. 4) There should be no ad-hoc terms of peace with the presence of old elements discord and antagonism that can raise their heads again and endanger peace of Europe and in turn the peace of the world. 11 German Response The Chancellor of Germany Count Georg von Hertling who was just a puppet under the command of the military responded favorably to the fourteen points proposal subject to certain conditions. He had no objection to the first point. To the second point if to be realized, fortifications at Gibraltar, Malta, Aden, Hong-Kong and other places should dismantled. He had no objection for removal of economic barriers. He did not fully endorse the disarmament condition saying that it could be discussed. He did not fully agree with the conditions relating to colonies as he felt that Wilson’s condition would not be practicable immediately though it could be discussed in due course. The Belgium’s question could only be settled at war and peace negotiations. Contending that the territorial integrity was the basis of peace settlement, return of occupied territories of France could also be considered. He added those are the pawns in the hands of Germany and they could be valuable in bringing out a negotiated settlement. Point no 9 to 12 were not of concern to Germany as they are the matters concerning Austria and Turkey. Point 13 should be left to Germany, Austria-Hungary and Poland for arriving at agreement on the constitution of Poland. Point No 14 concerning the association of nations which later emerged as (the League of Nations) was also quite welcome. 12 The U.S. interest Trade, security and prestige had been the three most important drivers for any State and the U.S. was no exception. The country’s rulers had been motivated by any of these factors at different times to promote the country’s interests. During the World War I, America’s foremost concern was national honor and neutral rights. During World War I, the U.S. did not show much interest to participate in multinational conferences unlike during the period of World war II. Wilson rather restricted political consultations with the allies Wilson joined the war only when Germany’s unrestricted submarine attacks were not abating and becoming a challenge to the rights of America. Wilson was known for his preference to war only as the last resort after diplomacy failed. Scholars argue that economic interests motivated Wilson more than anything else and that his so-called idealism was just a facade of America’s neo-imperialism. Wilson had been convinced much prior to the congressional declaration of in April 1917 that victory for Germany would not be in the interest of America. 13 He had shared with his confidantes his serious concern about the German dominated Europe. Because of his known stand in favor of peace, he did not take any steps for two months after Germany resumed its submarine warfare. It was only after the fall of Czar in Russia in March 1917, Wilson became confident of cooperation from the new regime of liberal Russia that could be coaxed into accepting a limited victory and a reasonable peace. This was an opportune moment for Wilson to engage in war with Germany and impose a peace settlement on the European nations at war. His aim was not to fight to the finish as otherwise, America’s engagement would have continued until 1919. He was content with less than unconditional surrender of Germany as long as his political goals were achieved.14 Conclusion Woodrow Wilson had all along been advocating neutrality and later armed neutrality, was forced to enter war aligning with allies when he was confronted with the naval attacks of his country’s ships by Germany. Thus, it appears America would have remained a passive spectator, if Germany had not interfered with the rights of America. Wilson’s policy of neutrality except when his own country’s rights were interfered with proved to be a pragmatic policy though his critics might have attributed this to his own selfish ends of trade and commerce alone in mind. America’s participation in the war proved to be a blessing in disguise as without its help, Germany would not have been made to surrender and submit to the Treaty of Versailles. Wilson is remembered for his great sacrifice as he died of illness following a second stroke which could be attributed to his endless journeys and captivating speeches he had made in his pursuit of peace. It is noteworthy that the U.S. never became of a member of the League of Nations which was quite ironical. Bibliography David M Esposito, The Legacy of Woodrow Wilson: American War Aims in World War I. (Westport, CT,: Praeger.1996) 3 Henig, Ruth, The Origins of the First World War, (London: Routledge; 2002) 1 James W. Ceaser Presidential Selection: Theory and Development (New Jersey, Princeton University Press, 1979) President Wilson’s Fourteen Points, 1918 Documents, World War 1 Document Archive, Available at http://wwi.lib.byu.edu/index.php/President_Wilson%27s_Fourteen_Points> Accessed on 17 April 2011 President Wilson's Fourteen Points, Delivered in Joint Session, January 8, 1918 World War I Document Archive > 1918 Documents > Available at accessed on 17 April 2011. Sanders, Robert M, In search of Woodrow Wilson: beliefs and behavior (CT, Greenwood Publishing Group, 1998) 72 Source Records of the Great War, Vol. VI, ed. Charles F. Horne, National Alumni 1923, Available at < http://www.firstworldwar.com/source/fourteenpoints_hertling.htm> accessed 17 April 2011 Urofsky I Melvin The American Presidents (New York, Taylor & Francis, 2000) Wilson, Woodrow, Constitutional government in the United States (New Jersey, Transaction Publishers: 1908,) Wilson, Woodrow, Presidents Wilson’s Declaration of Neutrality, Message to Congress, 63 rd Cong, 24 Sess., Senate Doc No 506 (Washington, 1914) pp3-4 Available at accessed 17 April 2011 Wilson’s First Warning to the Germans, Official Papers, WWI Document Archive, available at accessed 17 April 2011 Wilson Woodrow, War Messages, 65th Cong., 1st Sess. Senate Doc. No. 5, Serial No. 7264, Washington, D.C., 1917; pp. 3-8, passim.. WWI Document Archive, Official Papers, available at accessed 17 April 2011. Read More