| The United States of America, as widespread | | | | responsible to bring about world accord. It |
| opinion states, finds itself teetering | | | | is ironic that the man who persuaded other |
| precariously on a fine balance today, between | | | | nations to accept an arrangement for a |
| taking up its cudgel to police the | | | | peaceful settlement would face resistance to |
| destructive forces plaguing the world and | | | | it at home. |
| shrugging its shoulders and walking away to | | | | |
| safety and defeat. | | | | Right at the outset, Wilson made a tactical |
| | | | error when he included just one Republican in |
| President George W. Bush, despite continuing | | | | his team to Versailles. This immediately set |
| opposition from his own people, has placed | | | | the Republicans against any arrangement that |
| his country at the unenviable point of | | | | Wilson advocated. Moreover, the worsening |
| no-return. Interestingly, what is happening | | | | state of his health prevented him from doing |
| in America today seems to be an echo of the | | | | all that he could to persuade the Senate. In |
| events of 1918 when another president had to | | | | addition to this, he had strong detractors |
| face resistance to the forceful stance he | | | | and critics to contend with. |
| wanted his country to adopt in the aftermath | | | | |
| of World War 1. | | | | One of his harshest critics was Henry Cabot |
| | | | Lodge, the chairman of the Senate Foreign |
| America chose to take a neutral stand when | | | | Relations Committee. He purposely delayed the |
| European nations got enmeshed in a world | | | | process of ratifying the treaty because of |
| conflict, and President Woodrow Wilson | | | | the deep personal antagonism he had towards |
| endorsed this stand. He wanted overseas trade | | | | the President. But the strongest force that |
| over the Atlantic to remain uninterrupted and | | | | resisted the ratification and joining the |
| this did not allow for a partisan stance in | | | | League was made up of the American people. |
| European affairs. However, British naval | | | | Having lost innumerable lives in the war and |
| strategies wrecked all trade with Germany, | | | | its aftermath, with survivors suffering the |
| and the latter reacted by torpedoing all | | | | after--effects of the war, Americans did not |
| ships steaming through the Atlantic, | | | | want to become involved anymore. They wanted |
| including U.S. merchant vessels. When the | | | | to retreat, to resume their detached status. |
| Lusitania went down in 1915, taking with it | | | | As Senator William E. Borah from Idaho |
| among others, 128 Americans, and Germany | | | | stated, "We are told that this treaty means |
| continued to target American ships, public | | | | peace. Even so, I would not pay the price. |
| opinion in America swung around, in favor of | | | | Would you purchase peace at the cost of your |
| a proactive stance. The Zimmerman telegram in | | | | independence?" This expression summed up the |
| 1917 gave the President the final reason to | | | | attitude of the American people in general. |
| enter the war. An overwhelmingly strong troop | | | | No one paid any attention when Wilson |
| of American soldiers started on the | | | | lamented, "If the treaty is not ratified by |
| Meuse-Argonne offensive in the September of | | | | the Senate, the war will have been fought in |
| that year and forced Germany to yield by | | | | vain, and the world will be thrown into |
| November 1917. Having been instrumental in | | | | chaos. I promised our soldiers, when I asked |
| halting the destruction wrought upon the | | | | them to take up arms, that it was a war to |
| European world, America had to take on the | | | | end wars..." |
| responsibility to ensure that such a war | | | | |
| would never repeat itself. Or, so President | | | | The question today is not if it is an |
| Wilson felt. Hence, when negotiations started | | | | idealistic notion that is being enforced by |
| for a peace treaty in Versailles, early in | | | | the President of the United States. The |
| 1919, America played a leading role. | | | | question is whether history will repeat |
| | | | itself - whether America will take the same |
| Woodrow Wilson led the negotiations, for he | | | | road that it did over the Treaty of |
| strongly believed that peace must be sought | | | | Versailles. |
| out "to make the world safe for democracy." | | | | |
| His was the moderating voice amidst a Babel | | | | Gabriel Rise has been working at essays |
| of conflicting opinions, although focused on | | | | writing service for several years. You can |
| wreaking vengeance on Germany. He supported | | | | ask her about customer service concerning the |
| strongly the idea of a League of Nations that | | | | term papers or college essays that you |
| would make each nation morally and ethically | | | | have. |