Woodrow Wilson and His Stance for Peace

When it comes to President Woodrow Wilson and his plans for the world after World War 1, there are many different opinions. Some believe that he was a “hopeless idealist” with plans that were too “unrealistic” for Americans and the others of the world. Then there are the people that think the opposite and believe that he and his plan were what kept them safe and out of war. That was the thing about Wilson, he didn’t like the idea of war and believed that maintaining a sense of neutrality was the best way to go about the things happening in Europe. I believe that Wilson and his plans were not unrealistic and helped shaped the future of global institutions. I believe that staying out of foreign affairs that do not directly affect us is smart. We do not need to create a problem for ourselves if there isn’t one already there. 

Wilson kept America neutral until he couldn’t any longer. Everything changed on May 7, 1915 when German U-boats sank the British ship, the Lusitania that accompanied 1,198 people which around 100 of them being Americans. Germany then announced unrestricted submarine warfare between them and America which lead to Wilson cutting all ties with Germany. When the Germans continued with their attacks on U.S. submarines and ships and then having the Germans send the Zimmerman Telegram to Mexico, Wilson had to declare war. Like it is stated in an article in the Transcript of President Woodrow Wilson’s 14 Points (1918), “We entered this war because violations of right had occurred which touched us to the quick and made the life of our own people impossible unless they were corrected and the world secure once for all against their recurrence”. Again, going into a war is not something that Wilson was happy about and I understand why.

I agree with Wilson’s terms of neutrality and not getting involved until we have too but at that point in the game, actions were needing to take place. Germany was doing everything they could to stir up America and the rest of the world and Wilson knew that. He knew that he was eventually going to have to do something about Germany whether he liked it or not. As far as the world being ready for U.S. leadership and expanded government, I don’t know if they were ready for it, but it was something that was needed. The world needed someone to take the lead and help them against Germany. 

President Wilson took control and created his 14 Point plan and The League of Nations in hopes of bringing what everyone needed. His plans created a layout for peace which he believed is what the world was looking for. He took a world that was so divisive and divided and did all he could to bring it back together. His stance for peace gave him and the United States global power and eventually brought changes to global institutions.