President Wilson's Fourteen Points: A Path to Lasting Peace or Unfulfilled Promises?, Slides of Russian

Download President Wilson's Fourteen Points: A Path to Lasting Peace or Unfulfilled Promises? and more Slides Russian in PDF only on Docsity! President Wilson’s Fourteen Points (excerpted) 1 President Woodrow Wilson 2 Delivered in Joint Session, January 18, 1918 3 4 Gentlemen of the Congress: 5 Once more, as repeatedly before, the spokesmen of the Central Empires 6 have indicated their desire to discuss the objects of the war and the 7 possible basis of a general peace. Parleys have been in progress at 8 Brest-Litovsk between Russian representatives and representatives of 9 the Central Powers to which the attention of all the belligerents have 10 been invited for the purpose of ascertaining whether it may be possible 11 to extend these parleys into a general conference with regard to terms 12 of peace and settlement. 13 The Russian representatives presented not only a perfectly definite 14 statement of the principles upon which they would be willing to 15 conclude peace but also an equally definite program of the concrete 16 application of those principles. The representatives of the Central 17 Powers, on their part, presented an outline of settlement which, if much 18 less definite, seemed susceptible of liberal interpretation until their 19 specific program of practical terms was added. That program proposed 20 no concessions at all either to the sovereignty of Russia or to the 21 preferences of the populations with whose fortunes it dealt, but meant, 22 in a word, that the Central Empires were to keep every foot of territory 23 their armed forces had occupied -- every province, every city, every 24 point of vantage -- as a permanent addition to their territories and their 25 power. 26 …All the peoples of the world are in effect partners in this interest, and 27 for our own part we see very clearly that unless justice be done to 28 others it will not be done to us. The program of the world's peace, 29 therefore, is our program; and that program, the only possible program, 30 as we see it, is this: 31 I. Open covenants of peace, openly arrived at, after which there shall be 32 no private international understandings of any kind but diplomacy shall 33 proceed always frankly and in the public view. 34 II. Absolute freedom of navigation upon the seas, outside territorial 35 waters, alike in peace and in war, except as the seas may be closed in 36 whole or in part by international action for the enforcement of 37 international covenants. 38 III. The removal, so far as possible, of all economic barriers and the 39 establishment of an equality of trade conditions among all the nations 40 consenting to the peace and associating themselves for its maintenance. 41 discussions nations involved in the war easily influenced giving away / independence an agreement between parties IV. Adequate guarantees given and taken that national armaments will 42 be reduced to the lowest point consistent with domestic safety. 43 V. A free, open-minded, and absolutely impartial adjustment of all 44 colonial claims, based upon a strict observance of the principle that in 45 determining all such questions of sovereignty the interests of the 46 populations concerned must have equal weight with the equitable 47 claims of the government whose title is to be determined. 48 VII. Belgium, the whole world will agree, must be evacuated and 49 restored, without any attempt to limit the sovereignty which she enjoys 50 in common with all other free nations. No other single act will serve as 51 this will serve to restore confidence among the nations in the laws 52 which they have themselves set and determined for the government of 53 their relations with one another. Without this healing act the whole 54 structure and validity of international law is forever impaired. 55 VIII. All French territory should be freed and the invaded portions 56 restored, and the wrong done to France by Prussia in 1871 in the matter 57 of Alsace-Lorraine, which has unsettled the peace of the world for 58 nearly fifty years, should be righted, in order that peace may once more 59 be made secure in the interest of all. 60 XI. Rumania, Serbia, and Montenegro should be evacuated; occupied 61 territories restored; Serbia accorded free and secure access to the sea; 62 and the relations of the several Balkan states to one another determined 63 by friendly counsel along historically established lines of allegiance 64 and nationality; and international guarantees of the political and 65 economic independence and territorial integrity of the several Balkan 66 states should be entered into. 67 XIII. An independent Polish state should be erected which should 68 include the territories inhabited by indisputably Polish populations, 69 which should be assured a free and secure access to the sea, and whose 70 political and economic independence and territorial integrity should be 71 guaranteed by international covenant. 72 XIV. A general association of nations must be formed under specific 73 covenants for the purpose of affording mutual guarantees of political 74 independence and territorial integrity to great and small states alike. 75 In regard to these essential rectifications of wrong and assertions of 76 right we feel ourselves to be intimate partners of all the governments 77 and peoples associated together against the Imperialists. We cannot be 78 separated in interest or divided in purpose. We stand together until the 79 end. For such arrangements and covenants we are willing to fight and 80 to continue to fight until they are achieved; but only because we wish 81 the right to prevail and desire a just and stable peace such as can be 82 secured only by removing the chief provocations to war, which this 83 weapons a piece of land that lies between France and Germany wholeness to make right reasons Text Dependent Questions Teacher Notes and Possible Textual Evidence for Student Answers What does President Wilson mean when he says “unless justice be done to others it will not be done to us”? If all sides involved in the peace process are not treated fairly then the possibility of resentment and retaliation may come to fruition. This question points out one of the main goals of Wilson’s Fourteen Points. In lines 23- 24, Wilson states that his Fourteen Points is a plan for peace. How would each of the first five points lead to lasting peace? I. No secret treaties would prevent a breakdown in diplomacy. II. Freedom of the seas would prevent acts of war on neutral countries ships. III. Equality of trade would promote a healthy world economy where countries aren’t competing for wealth. IV. A reduction of the size of militaries around the world to defend only their own country would promote peace. V. A reduction in colonies would prevent competition between countries. This question highlights the second major goal of Wilson’s Fourteen Points, to prevent another world war. In lines 54- 55, what healing acts was Wilson referring to and why is it important? The healing act is that the countries that were over run during WWI will be evacuated and have their sovereignty will not be limited. The importance is this will restore confidence and order in international law. This question also helps point out the goal of Wilson to prevent another world war. What similarities do Wilson’s VII, VIII, and XI points have in common? These points are to evacuate occupied nations and restore the lands to the historical owners. Text Dependent Questions Teacher Notes and Possible Textual Evidence for Student Answers Reread lines 21-24. How do these lines support the inclusion of Wilson’s 14 th point? The creation of the League of Nations was to protect the sovereignty of all member nations, and Wilson’s 14 points was intended to create lasting peace. The purpose of this question is to get students to understand purpose of the 14 points and the formation of the League of Nations. In lines……, what is the “principle” Wilson is referring to and what is its purpose? The purpose of the question is to get the students to see the overall message of the 14 Points. Wilson wanted to make sure that Germany would not be stunted in their growth as they rebuild after WWI. Also Wilson wanted to make sure that no ill will was held against Germany as to prevent another war of revenge. Please compose a clear writing prompt or question to follow this close analytic reading. Make sure that your writing prompt/question follows the CCSS writing standards (choose informational or argumentative) and that you use the terminology of the standards. The writing assignment can be a very formal essay or a fairly short piece, as long as it demonstrates that students have understood the document and can use evidence from it effectively. Write a argumentative five paragraph essay including a claim, three pieces of evidence and reasoning on the following question: If you were a member of the Triple Entente would you be satisfied with President Wilson’s 14 Points for a peace negotiation? Why or why not? In the space below, create a very specific checklist that helps teachers what exactly to identify in order to measure student success or difficulty with this particular writing assignment on this particular reading. Make sure to use your grade level’s writing standards as a guide. Be clear!  A valid claim from the 14 points, most likely arguing that the 14 Points was not a valid peace treaty  Three pieces of evidence to support the claim, really any of the 14 points in the reading is supporting evidence  Reasoning why the evidence supports the students claim