What We Will Cover Today • Four Key Wilson Decisions – The Flawed Treaty of Versailles America Between the World – Refusal to accept any changes – The Decision Not to Resign the Presidency Wars – The Impact of the Treaty and the Failure to Ratify It • Prohibition Class 2 – Origins of the Prohibition Movement – The 18th Amendment & the Volstead Act William A. Reader – Rumrunners, Bootleggers, & Al Capone – Effects of Prohibition E‐mail:
[email protected] – Why It was Repealed – The Aftermath 1 Four Key Wilson Decisions –2 Four Key Wilson Decisions ‐ 3 • The decision to accept a flawed treaty in order • The Decision not to resign the Presidency to win foreign acceptance of the League of after his stroke Nations – Led to the U.S. being governed by Wilson’s wife – Treaty contained provisions and omissions that • This meant that the problems of postwar inflation, • Were politically unpalatable to the U.S. Senate demobilization, and recession were totally ignored • Were to cause future trouble – Let the Lodge Republicans dominate the debate • The refusal to accept any changes or over ratification of the Versailles Treaty • This sapped support for the Treaty and led to its reservations in the Treaty to win Republican eventual defeat support 3 4 Impact of the Treaty of Versailles Impact of Failed Ratification • Led to great resentment in Germany • Greatly weakened the League of Nations – Signing the Versailles “diktat” weakened the • Fostered a sense of disillusionment Weimar Republic, giving the German Right (and – With World War I and its results the Nazis) a tool with which to attack the Republic – With U.S.