Versailles Treaty - Hitler’s Rise to Power - Ghost > .
1919-11-19: United States Senate votes to reject Treaty of Versailles -HiPo > .
1919-11-19: United States Senate votes to reject Treaty of Versailles -HiPo > .
However, a major obstacle to the treaty's ratification was Wilson's strained working relationship with Senator Henry Cabot Lodge, the influential chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Lodge, a prominent Republican, had fundamental disagreements with Wilson on key treaty provisions.
Article X of the Covenant of the League of Nations represented Wilson's unshakable belief in collective security. Lodge and his Republican counterparts, however, saw it as a threat to American sovereignty. Republicans preferred unilateral action, asserting that America should independently determine its involvement in global conflicts. Wilson was aiming for international cooperation, but many Republicans prioritized safeguarding American interests.
Wilson embarked on a nationwide tour to secure public support for the treaty, but his efforts were in vain. Lodge and Senate Republicans proposed amendments and, on November 19, 1919 the Senate voted down the Treaty of Versailles by 55 in favour to 39, falling short of the required two-thirds majority. It was the first time the Senate had rejected a peace treaty.
The rejection had profound consequences. While it signalled a definitive adoption of isolationism in American foreign policy, the absence of the United States from the League of Nations undermined the organisation's effectiveness from the outset.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.