The americans joined the side of britain, france, and russia known as the allies. Share, comment and suggest new documents at the todays document tumblr blog. Woodrow wilsons fourteen points the war that broke out in europe in august 1914 was worldwide in its scope and effect. The fourteen points speech set out peace proposals under fourteen separate headings that described the essential elements for a peaceful settlement of ww1. He also advised against punishing germany with overly harsh measures. But the united states did not enter world war i until april 6, 1917, after more than two and a half years of european bloodletting. This would be a speech to a joint session of congress, which meant that members of both the senate and the house of representatives would be there. Even the bare phrase selfdetermination is absent from the text of his famous speech and from nearly all his public pronouncements of the war years. Woodrow wilsons fourteen points january 8, 1918 gentlemen of the congress. Page 1 woodrow w ilson the fourteen points delivered 8 january 1918. The passionate exponent of a pragmatic peace, negotiated. Includes images of original primary source documents, lesson plans, teacher and student competitions, and educational resources.
President woodrow wilson was planning a speech to give to congress. In this january 8, 1918, address to congress, president woodrow wilson proposed a 14 point program for world peace. Wilson was convinced progressive policies were responsible for positive domestic reforms in the united states. The 14 points declared by president woodrow wilson essentially established the conditions for the ww1 armistice that had brought an end to wwi. As world war i drew to a close, woodrow wilson issued these fourteen points as a roadmap for a just and permanent peace. These points were later taken as the basis for peace negotiations at the end of the war. It will be our wish and purpose that the processes of peace, when they are begun, shall be absolutely open and that they shall involve and permit henceforth no secret understandings of any kind. He proposed that european nations, including belgium and france, be restored to their former condition.
What was the goal of woodrow wilsons fourteen points. Wilsons main goal was to establish a peace plan for europe. Woodrow wilsons fourteen points discussion questions. Featuring 100 milestone documents of american history from the national archives.