When the United States entered World War I in 1917, the conflict had become a deadly stalemate. Hoping to end the conflict before the Americans could make a difference, Germany renewed unrestricted submarine warfare. British and American convoys provided mutua. salety by sending warships to protect the merchant ships, As a result, shipping losses from U-boat attacks fell sharply.
In November 1917, radical communists led by Vladimir Lenin gained control of Russia. Fighting stopped between Russia and Germany, which allowed Germany to launch an all-out offensive on the Western Front. American troops under the command of John J.
Pershing helped stop the German offensive and launch successful counteroffensives. On November 11, 1918, Germany surrendered, officially ending World War I
In what became known as the Fourteen Points, President Woodrow Wilson promoted openness, encouraged independence, and supported freedom. Wilson also advocated self-determination, or the right of people to choose their own form of goverment.
Finally, he asked for a League of Nations, a world organization where countries could gather and peacefully resolve their quarrels.
In 1919, the victorious Allies held a peace conference in France.
Although Wilson's hope for the League of Nations was fulfilled, the vanious peace treaties created almost as many problems as they solved. The other Allied leaders insisted that Germany make reparations, or payment for war damages. When the map of Europe was redrawn, national self-determination was violated many times.
In the United States, many people opposed the treety. A handful of senators known as the "irreconcilables" believed that the United States should not get entangled in world organizations such as the League of Nations. A larger group of smators, led by Henry Cabot Lodge and known as the "reservationists, was opposed to the treaty as it was watten. Wilson and his opponents refused to put aside their differences and cumpromise, and the Senate did not ratify the treaty. Without full
American support, the League of Nations
proved unable to maintain peace among nations.
Reading check: why did the irrenconconcilabes"oppose the treaty to end world war 1
Vocabulary builder: what does the word mutual means in the underlined sentence? What clues can you find in the surrounding words, phrases or sentences?
Reading skill: sequence the events that led the U.S. Senate to not ratify the treaty ending World War 1
The "irreconcilables" opposed the treaty to end World War 1 because they believed that the United States should not get entangled in world organizations such as the League of Nations.
The word "mutual" means shared or common. Clues in the surrounding sentences indicate that British and American convoys provided safety by sending warships to protect the merchant ships.
The events that led the U.S. Senate to not ratify the treaty ending World War 1 are as follows:
1. The opposition of the irreconcilables who believed the U.S. should not get entangled in world organizations
2. The opposition of the reservationists who were opposed to the treaty as it was written
3. The refusal of Wilson and his opponents to compromise
4. The Senate not ratifying the treaty due to lack of full American support for the League of Nations