4. Ending the War

This video will explain the 14 Points well. The 14 Points are the main ideas that U.S. President Woodrow Wilson brought to the peace talks. Unfortunately, the rest of the world didn't listen to him. See if there are any ideas that might be handy, or in there's any that might exist today (hint...there are).

(Left) Using money to wallpaper a house in Germany following the war. The inflation was so bad that their money was worth less than wallpaper.

(Right) Hi

Now that you have learned how things went down with the 14 points, and we also have the advantage of history on our side to know what eventually happened, I want you to pretend you were sent back to the past, circa 1918, into U.S. Congress. They are the ones that ultimately rejected Woodrow Wilson's plan. We know that the Treaty of Versailles doesn't include most of the 14 points, and that the treaty also didn't work (see WW2).

Your job is to convince congress to use the 14 points, or at least some of them. What would you tell them? What points should they use? Why should they use them? How will they help? You may use photo collages, or other media to help prove your point, but your task is to write a short speech about the effects of not following the 14 points. Below is a list of the 14 points that Wilson offered. Read through them, then start your work. You can film yourself giving your speech right here on Flipgrid. https://flipgrid.com/1ca9b213

Here's a simplified version of the 14 points that can help you.

Summary of the Fourteen Points

  1. No more secret agreements between countries. Diplomacy shall be open to the world.

  2. International seas shall be free to navigate during peace and war.

  3. There shall be free trade between the countries who accept the peace.

  4. There shall be a worldwide reduction in weapons and armies by all countries.

  5. Colonial claims over land and regions will be fair.

  6. Russia will be allowed to determine its own form of government. All German troops will leave Russian soil.

  7. German troops will evacuate Belgium and Belgium will be an independent country.

  8. France will regain all territory including the disputed land of Alsace-Lorraine.

  9. The borders of Italy will be established such that all Italians will be within the country of Italy.

  10. Austria-Hungary will be allowed to continue to be an independent country.

  11. The Central Powers will evacuate Serbia, Montenegro, and Romania leaving them as independent countries.

  12. The Turkish people of the Ottoman Empire will have their own country. Other nationalities under the Ottoman rule will also have security.

  13. Poland shall be an independent country.

  14. A League of Nations will be formed that protects the independence of all countries no matter how big or small.

My advice is to choose 3 or 4 points that you think are key to maintaining peace in the world and focus on those.