Woodrow Wilson: World War I and the League of Nations | 5-Minute Videos

for over a hundred years the United States of America had relied on the genius of individuals to solve problems it was often chaotic but incredibly productive leading to the greatest economic expansion in world history for Woodrow Wilson the 28th president of the United States the time had come to bring order to that chaos that would mean less freedom for the individual but at least in theory more equality across Society it was an exchange that perfectly fit into his Progressive worldview that the government should be active in every aspect of American life in a remarkable first term Wilson laid the groundwork for this transformation of America in his second term Wilson sought to transform the world the first world war 1914 to 1918 gave him the opportunity initially Wilson did everything he could to keep the nation out of that war in fact the reason he won his reelection in 1916 was his promise not to send American boys to fight on another continent but within 2 years over 2 million Americans would be on that continent over a 100,000 would die German aggression specifically its submarine warfare that killed hundreds of Americans made it very difficult for Wilson to keep the nation out of the war the final straw was the infamous Zimmerman Telegram in which the German government promised to help Mexico reclaim much of the Southwest if Mexico would stir up trouble along the Rio Grant on April 2nd 1917 Wilson asked for a declaration of war Congress gave it to him four days later if Wilson believed the government was Supreme during peace time how much more so during wartime to supercharge the war effort Wilson essentially took control of the US economy he nationalized whole Industries rationed food and fuel fixed prices and raised the top income tax rate to 77% civil liberties were severely curtailed criticism of the war was essentially forbidden violators were imprisoned under the Espionage and Sedition Acts of 1917 and 1918 German composers like Bach and Boven were banned teaching the German language in schools was prohibited and sauerkraut was renamed Liberty cabbage to his credit Wilson left the prosecution of the war to his generals and America did indeed turn the tide in favor of the Allies on November 11th 1918 the Germans unable to counter America's economic and Military might agreed to stop fighting peace was at hand but what would that peace look like as always Wilson had a vision he called it the 14 points the key point was the creation of an International League of Nations Wilson was so committed to this idea that he decided to go to Europe personally and negotiate the peace agreement Europeans greeted him as a Conquering Hero lining the streets wherever he went Wilson's impulse was to give Germany generous peace terms he wanted what he called peace without victory but the French and British saw things much differently having suffered so grievously they wanted Germany severely punished Wilson thought that was a terrible mistake but eventually yielded it was a price he was willing to pay to get the Allies to agree to his League of Nations but while Wilson had sold the league to the Europeans he couldn't sell it to Congress Republicans and even some Democrats were leery that the league required member nations to counter external aggression against all members they feared this could lead to endless American involvement in Foreign Wars Wilson brushed aside their concerns and took his case directly to the American people convinced that once they understood it they would embrace it the speaking tour took everything Wilson had and more on October 2nd 1919 he suffered a massive stroke rendering him partially paralyzed amazingly his medical condition was concealed from the American public and even from his own cabinet during the final 18 months of his presidency in this unprecedented situation his wife Edith secretly issued directives on her husband's behalf some have called her America's first female president had will wion been willing to compromise with Senate Republicans on the league question maybe he could have gotten it ratified but he refused in a stinging rebuke the Senate rejected Wilson's dream one year later the American people pronounced their own verdict they elected Republican Warren Harding to be their new president in a landslide they had had enough of Wilson's progressivism but the setback was only temporary the ideas that Wilson espoused government and into many aspects of our lives and with it the massive expansion of the federal bureaucracy would be given new life with the Ascension of another Democrat and Wilson Protegé Franklin Roosevelt Wilson's big government ideas are still with us today they are his true and Lasting Legacy I'm RJ Pasto professor of politics at Hillsdale College and author of woodro Wilson and the roots of modern liberalism for Prager University thank you for watching this video to keep prageru videos free please consider making a tax deductible donation