Reaction Paper Week 2:

"Wilson's view for international relations was the main inspiration for the Treaty
of Versailles". Do you agree?

Maria Illa
Group 1
History of International Relations
5227879

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 "WILSON’S VIEW FOR INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS WAS THE MAIN
INSPIRATION FOR THE TREATY OF VERSAILLES”. DO YOU AGREE?

As World War I ended, Woodrow Wilson laid out his vision of international relations
to the world by drafting Wilson's 14 Points. Through this, he intended to eradicate what he
considered the fundamental errors of the global system and obtain a "Just Peace" in the
post-war world. These points aimed to reduce the armament of the countries, create a free
international market, end secret diplomacy and preserve the right to self-determination,
among other matters. Furthermore, he wanted to create a society of countries capable of
guaranteeing world peace. However, the Paris Conference made it clear that Wilson's ideals
regarding international relations were not paramount for European leaders, and the final
result, embodied in the Treaty of Versailles, turned out to be very different from the first
intentions of the American president.

Several historians have declared that the 14 points were "the basis for constructing the
new postwar international order.”1 The League of Nations, overlooking its mistakes, was the
first attempt to institutionalize the international system and was the predecessor of the United
Nations, which still drinks from the ideals of collective security. In addition, he created and
was able to put into practice concepts in the framework of international relations that, even
today, are fundamental.

However, the idea of "reshaping the earth in the image of the United States" stood, to
a certain extent, reduced by the victorious countries to a mere speech without actual
effectiveness.2 Moreover, the big four, excluding Wilson, did not seek a "Just Peace" but
compensation for the losses suffered during the four years of war. Thus, one by one, Wilson's
points were ignored and replaced by reparations that the vanquished had to obey.

France and Belgium, being the ones that had suffered the most losses during the war,
were the ones that wanted to impose stiffer sanctions on Germany. Great Britain aspired to a
"balance of power." Although there were conflicts between the big four, the real "inspiration"
of the Paris conference and the Treaty of Versailles became evident; obtain war reparations,
recover what winning powers considered "taken," and prevent future wars.3

1
Albulena Halili, “Construction of the international system of Versailles, according to the doctrine of Woodrow
Wilson”, ILIRIA International Review, no. 1 (December 2011): 14.
2
“Was the Treaty of Versailles a Victory for Democracy?”, The New York Times, accessed September 14, 2022.
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/06/28/opinion/versailles-treaty-woodrow-wilson.html.
3
Helmut Konrad, Drafting the Peace. The Cambridge History of the First World War (Cambridge, Cambridge
University Press, 2014), 606-637.

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 Further evidence that Wilson's vision did not actually inspire the Treaty of Versailles
is the ambiguity with which the 14 points were adapted. "It will be our wish and purpose that
the peace processes, when they are begun, shall be open."4 This phrase refers to point 1 of the
list. However, the losers were left out of the conference. So was it open if one of the most
interested parties couldn't attend?

Another example of this is the contempt with which Germany was treated even
though Wilson spoke the following words in a joint session; "We are not jealous of German
greatness, and there is nothing in this program to harm it. [...] We only wish you to accept a
place of equality among the peoples of the world."5 At the end of the conference, these
declarations were not fulfilled. Germany lost colonies, part of its territory, and its population.
Its industrial might and navy were reduced, and it had to pay lavish amounts in reparations.
At this point, Germany addressed Wilson to negotiate a reduction of the terms and to report
the violation of the 14 points by the Treaty of Versailles. 6

Image 17
This primary source shows the loss of German colonies, one of the war reparations demanded by the winners.

The final evidence that Wilson's vision of International Relations did not primarily
inspire the Treaty of Versailles lies in the outbreak of World War II. Although it must be
remembered that the treaty was not the only cause of the war, Hitler used it to significantly
increase the Germans’ suspicion towards the victorious countries.

4
World War I Document Archive. “President Wilson’s Fourteen Points", accessed September 14, 2022.
https://wwi.lib.byu.edu/index.php/President_Wilson's_Fourteen_Points.
5
World War I Document Archive. “President Wilson’s Fourteen Points", accessed September 14, 2022.
https://wwi.lib.byu.edu/index.php/President_Wilson's_Fourteen_Points.
6
Sally Marks, The Illusion of Peace: International Relations in Europe 1918-1933 (London: Bloomsbury
Publishing, 2003), 2.
7
An excerpt from a pamphlet titled “What Everyone Should Know about the Treaty of Peace,” issued by
Berlin’s National Citizens Council, 1921.

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 To conclude, Wilson's vision of international relations was not the main inspiration for
the treaty but rather the mediator between the wishes of the victors and what was permissible.
The primary motivation of the treaty was the need to end the war, not to find peaceful
international cooperation, a far removed plan from post-war reality, more autarchic and less
globalized than the 19th century. France wanted revenge, and the UK wanted the balance of
power. Wilson intended to show his vision of international relations, but the result of the
treaty was evident; according to Ferdinand Foch, it was "an armistice for twenty years" and
not a declaration of peace and international cooperation, as Wilson had conceived.

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 BIBLIOGRAPHY

- Halili, Albulena. “Construction of the international system of Versailles, according to

the doctrine of Woodrow Wilson”, ILIRIA International Review, no. 1 (December
2011): 14.

- Konrad, Helmut. Drafting the Peace. The Cambridge History of the First World War
(Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 2014).

- Marka, Sally. The Illusion of Peace: International Relations in Europe 1918-1933.

London: Bloomsbury Publishing, 2003.

- The New York Times. “Was the Treaty of Versailles a Victory for Democracy?”
Accessed September 13, 2022.
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/06/28/opinion/versailles-treaty-woodrow-wilson.html.

- World War I Document Archive. “President Wilson’s Fourteen Points", accessed

September 14, 2022.
https://wwi.lib.byu.edu/index.php/President_Wilson's_Fourteen_Points.