Top-Rated Free Essay
Preview

Tragedy of Disappointment

Good Essays
363 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Tragedy of Disappointment
Omar Said
Tragedy of Disappointment At the height of his presidency, Woodrow Wilson had many successes that made a huge impact on the country as well as the world. However, he also had very bad points as well. One of those bad points was the Treaty of Versailles. In many ways, the Treaty of Versailles mirrored his presidency. His ruthlessness for self- determination in his policies coming into Paris did not allow him to get what he really wanted in the treaty. In the end, Wilson was not ready for the responsibilities of world leadership. Woodrow Wilson’s foreign policy in many ways was a contradiction. Prior to the war, Wilson pursued neutrality very aggressively. Yet in 1917, Woodrow Wilson entered America into World War I. Even though he had exposure to the horrors of war, he led America into war against the Central Powers. This was very contradictory and mirrored his other policies. In the beginning of his presidency, he was a democrat who wanted to have separate businesses and small government. Yet later, he adopted many of Roosevelt’s New Nationalism policies. His one point that he wanted in the treaty was a League of Nations to keep world peace and to end all wars. This was what he dubbed “the war to end all wars”. His relentless chase for the league of nations kept him from accomplishing any of his other 13 points he wanted to implement. Even his selection of his delegates at the Peace Conference was very weird. He selected Lansing even though as Margaret Mcmillan said that him liking Lansing turned into irritation and contempt. Even though the points above made him seem silly, he had a huge impact because he put America in the driver’s seat of world affairs. However, in the end, he was not ready for world leadership because he was a huge contradiction in his policies and wanted violence despite wanting to keep peace. This compares him a lot to Andrew Jackson because his policies were very contradicting in their purpose. For example, he was an American who fought for the people’s rights in government yet he was one of the Indians as well.

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    Progressive Hall of Fame

    • 1141 Words
    • 5 Pages

    During his Presidency, soon after the Germans signed the Armistice (treaty) in November of 1918, Wilson went to Paris to try to construct an “enduring peace”. President Wilson, against his doctors’ warnings, even made a national tour to persuade the public to support the Versailles Treaty. He was very religious and believed that he was guided by God’s will. Wilson also wanted to personally determine the United States’ foreign policy. He sought after freeing the United States of trusts and restoring the old economy of shops and small businesses. By doing so, he reclaimed the “Anti-Trust Act”. Wilson personally said, “Americans...are meant to carry liberty and justice and the principles of humanity wherever [they] go, [they] go out and sell goods that will make the world more comfortable and more happy, and convert them to the principles of America”. Wilson desired an “orderly change” for not only the United States, but for humanity. That is why he should be…

    • 1141 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    In conclusion, President Woodrow Wilson tried his best to stay neutral in the European conflicts. However, he was not able to do this because of the attacks on many American crafts which lead to the death of many citizens. Woodrow tried to take a peaceful approach to the war by making many attempts to come to an agreement with Germany. Germany refused and their relations deteriorated. This lead to U.S. involvement in World War I. Wilson justified his actions by saying that he was making the world safe for democracy. In the end the war caused a lot of bloodshed, and most impacting a lot of social, political, and economic…

    • 476 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    1991 Apush Dbq

    • 671 Words
    • 3 Pages

    President Wilson’s unwillingness to compromise is evident in his speech in 1919, which states his position on the League of Nations: “I stand for it absolutely” (Doc. A). He then claims that the slightest impairment would be like betraying the soldiers who fought in the war because they would have fought for nothing (Doc. A). This exaggeration becomes a weakness in his argument, since his Treaty is not the only way for soldiers to receive the peace they fought for. Also, President Wilson’s “Appeal to the Country”, which occurred after his loss in senate, relies on a strong sense of nationalism, and claims that the League of Nations would give the U.S. the opportunity to protect the rights of people and nations, which the opponents of the League are stopping (Doc. G). This bold claim leads to loss of support, since President Wilson leaves no other possible way to realize the dream of the founders of our government.…

    • 671 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Treaty of Versailles. DBQ

    • 790 Words
    • 3 Pages

    On January 8, 1918, Wooldrow Wilson the president at the time, turn U.S. participation in the war into a religious crusade. He wanted to change the nature of international relations and to make the world safe for democracy. This war was merely a struggle among imperialist powers. Wooldrow Wilson announced his plan, which was meant to organize peace. These were Wilson's fourteen paints. It argued for "open covenants of peace openly arrived at" freedom of seas, equality of trade, and self-determination for all peoples. His most important point, which was the last one (14th) called for international origination, a "League of Nations", to preserve peace.…

    • 790 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    After reading Thomas A. Bailey’s article on “Woodrow Wilson Wouldn’t Yield”, I feel this quote best represents exactly what Woodrow Wilson stood for. He was a man who wanted peace and would not yield for anyone or any country unless it was best for him and our country. In Tomas A. Bailey’s article, his argument that Wilson’s fourteen points and most notably the League of Nations wasn’t passed not just because of the points themselves. But because of Wilson’s failure to see little changes and revisions to his plans, the League would have fallen through, instead of pitfall in the Senate like it did. “On March 4, 1919 - 39 Senators or Senators-Elect, more than enough to defeat the treaty-published a round robin to the effect that they would not approve the League of Nations in its existing form. Bailey also argues that Wilson’s character, in that his huge desire for morality and idealism, we also much to blame for his stubbornness in keeping the League of Nations unrevised or compromised upon.…

    • 541 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Wilson’s speech was unprecedented in terms of that it was strongly liberal, and it aimed to join nations through liberal ideology. This is different to how countries, including the USA normally ran as they were more interested in their own achievements rather than the world arena collectively. It is also important to put emphasis on the fact that the USA were the ones hoping for a…

    • 991 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Woodrow Wilson

    • 626 Words
    • 3 Pages

    There is a lot to be said about Woodrow Wilson and what he has and has not accomplished. For example, Wilson is most known for leading America to involvement with World War I, although he was reluctant at first, but eventually was all the way involved with this war that took a toll on all participating countries. His proposed idea of the League of Nations never really came to fruition, but other forms of his idea have taken place such as NATO which is an international union of leaders from every nation. Another black eye on Wilson’s career is the fact that he did not fully support African American civil rights or women’s suffrage.…

    • 626 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    The presidencies of both Theodore Roosevelt and Woodrow Wilson featured significant foreign policies. Roosevelt favored imperialism and increasing American influence and prestige, willing to use force when other means failed; many of his projects, such as the Panama Canal, succeeded. Wilson was an idealist, eager to promote democracy and world peace, and unwilling to use force; many of his attempts to encourage democracy and peace, such as the League of Nations, backfired. While the primary aim of both was to increase American influence as a world power, Roosevelt’s foreign policy initiatives succeeded more than did Wilson’s.…

    • 569 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Wilson's Fourteen Points was a big cause and objective for the U.S. to enter the war. It called for, among other things, disarmament, self determination, and, most importantly, the League of Nations. Disarmament worked for several years, as the defeated nations of World War I, mostly Germany, sank deeper into dispair. However, with this German misfortune rose Adolf Hitler, who looked promising to the dispaired German people. So he rose a powerful army, which was against disarmament, however, an American-less League of Nations had no power to stop him. The League also sat idol when Mussolini invaded Ethopia in his quest for victory. Self determination was also difficult to enforce, for the victorious nations of World War I were reluctant to give up the land that they captured during the war, or land they obtained by secret treaties. The League of Nations, created as to keep world peace, was powerless and could do nothing without the United States' help. Freedom of the seas was also briefly held, until World War…

    • 283 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Woodrow wilson, the 28th president of the United States of America. He did a lot of great things in his term so let's take a look at what he did throughout his life. Woodrow Wilson was under the party of Democrat, and was favored by many to be a great president.Wilson also served as president during World War 1. Wilson stated he wanted to make the world “safe for democracy” (Whitehouse.gov), meaning he wanted to make sure no place was being ruled by a tyrant or any kind of related government. The items that will be stated in this essay about Woodrow Wilson are: Early life, Presidency, and After presidency.…

    • 711 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    President Wilson's own ineptitude and stubbornness is what led to the Senate's defeat of the Treaty of Versailles, rather than the strength of the opposing forces. Even Wilson's closest and most trusted advisors could not sway his stance. Wilson was strong in his stance and incorporated the idea of the 14 points. While it is true that opposing forces contributed to defeat the treaty, it was Wilson's unmovable position that led to its ultimate defeat in the Senate.…

    • 781 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Carleton argues Wilson was not responsible for the failure of joining the League because Carleton felt that even if Wilson had agreed to the Lodge Reservation, how sure are we that by Wilson joining in, it would have been enough for America to get in the League? Carleton points out, “Under the Lodge Reservation, every signatory nation had to accept them before the United States could become a member” (194). He uses this proof to support his claim that if Wilson had agreed with the Lodge, but the U.S. still didn’t make it into the League because not all fifteen nations agreed to let us in, would we still be blaming Wilson? Carleton also states that if Wilson was as stubborn as he was made out to be, then he would have been a joke for a president. He was accused of not understanding world politics but in that day, what American statesman understood world politics more than Wilson? Carleton also dismissed the fact that Wilson was accused of not being able to compromise. He stated “If the truth of this accusation must rest on Wilson’s attitude during the Treaty fight, and I think it must, for he showed remarkable adaptability in other phases of his Presidency” (194-195). Given the situations Wilson was in as a president, from the stroke to dealing with the League, Wilson has had no choice but to adapt and compromise with certain situations. Carleton ends his claim with the focus more on Lodge because he procrastinated votes on the treaty for two weeks and made it…

    • 819 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    After of WWI, Wilson found a solution to keep the peace between countries, so the United States postulated the foreign policy began with the president Thomas Woodrow Wilson (1856-1924). He got the presidency in 1912 as candidate of the democrat party. Wilson stipulated the foreign policy dilemma, which it was a proposal of peace.…

    • 1412 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Woodrow Wilson was a man with intellect and reasons. His main desire was to end all…

    • 1252 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Woodrow Wilsons vision for peace after World War 1 is roughly reflected or highlighted in the fourteen points.These points expanded on his own views regarding making secret treaties unnecessary. Freeing trade, which would ultimately benefit al parties involved. Letting people trade amongst themselves let them decide their own futures without the heavy involvement of the govrnment and basically promoted peace and harmony with every nation. These points were supposed to estalish better ways of communication between nations which would in turn promote a more lucrative trade. The fourteen points would also make sure wars were being fought for reasons that benefited everyone and not just a specific group of people. Woodrow Wilson also wanted all…

    • 153 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays