The Lookout
Volume 7 Issue 1 | 2019
An Analysis of the Causes of World War One and Wilson’s Failures at the Peace Talks and the Treaty of Versailles Dylan R. Courtney Following the end of World War I, Allied
was considered a powder keg that could go
victors met to set peace terms after defeating
off at any time. Countries were strengthening
the Central Powers, and signed a treaty in
their militaries and imposing an imperialistic
Versailles, France to officially end the First
rule on smaller nations. Nationalism from
World War. President Woodrow Wilson
various countries was one of the main causes
represented America at the peace talks. Wilson
of this powder keg. Serbia had a longstanding
wanted to create a League of Nations that
unstable relationship with Austria-Hungary.
would globalize the world and a treaty that
The heir to the Austrian-Hungarian throne,
would provide lasting peace. Despite there
Archduke Franz Ferdinand, was visiting
being delegates from many countries who
Bosnia, a former Serbian province annexed by
wished to participate, the main countries were
Austria in 1908, on June 28, 1914. Ferdinand
“The Big Four” Allied powers: America,
and his wife were murdered by Gavrilo
Britain, France, and Italy. Wilson failed to
Princip, a Bosnian member of the Black Hand,
convince other members of the Big Four to
a Serbian terrorist group. This lit the powder
base the Treaty of Versailles on the Fourteen
keg in Europe.
Points, which was his blueprint for world
Despite Ferdinand not being viewed in
peace which he laid out in an address to
good favor by his government, the Austro-
congress on his conditions for peace on
Hungarian Empire took this opportunity to
January 8, 1918. He was also unable to
settle their score with Serbia. After waiting
encourage enough public support in America
three weeks, they issued an unrealistic
to join his League of Nations, outlined in his
ultimatum to Serbia. The Serbian government
fourteenth point.
would have to accept an Austro-Hungarian
In order to understand Wilson’s goals and
inquiry into the assassination despite its own
the state of the world at the time of the peace
internal investigation, and would also have to
talks, it is important to examine the events
get rid of anti-Austrian propaganda. Finally,
that led to World War I, and the actions of
the Serbian government would have to take
Germany and America during the war. Europe
steps to eliminate anti-Austrian terrorist
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