American President Woodrow Wilson and the Importance of His 14 Points - Article Example

 This outline included diplomacy must be open, free international waters, world trade encouraged through lowered economic barriers, low army upkeep, colonial claims adjusted, the new territorial boundaries that returned land to Russia, Belgium, France, and Italy, Turkey and Poland would become sovereign nations, Austria-Hungary should have free autonomous development, Rumania, Serbia, and Montenegro should be evacuated by Central Powers, and a league of Nations should be formed (Wilson 1917).

All of these suggestions, along with reparations and other demands by England and France came about, except for the League of Nations. Wilson was a man before his time because the U.N. would form after WWII. In 1917, the world was not ready for a global body of like the U.N., or the League of Nations. The 14 points were also used as propaganda to help bolster Wilson’s war and to give the Germans a message. The message given must have been the right one since Germany surrendered without being totally overrun like in WWII.

The United States wanted these points to be addressed in any treaty discussed. The Versailles Treaty’s harsh measures were due to England, France, and other negotiating countries. America did go along with these harsh terms, not realizing the oppressive terms would lead to WWII.