1101. Congressional elections of 1918

The 66th Congress, under President Wilson. He begged people to elect Democrats so that they could support his foreign policy initiatives in Congress, but the public rejected him. The senate had 47 Democrats and 49 Republicans and the House had 216 Democrats, 210 Republicans and 6 others.

1102. Versailles Conference, Versailles Treaty

The Palace of Versailles was the site of the signing of the peace treaty that ended WW I on June 28, 1919. Victorious Allies imposed punitive reparations on Germany.

1103. Versailles Delegation

Led by Wilson, it fought for the inclusion of the 14 Points. Only one to be included was the League of Nations.

1104. Big Four: Wilson, George, Clemenceau, Orlando

Leaders of the four most influential countries after World War I - U.S., Britain, France and Italy, respectively.

1105. League of Nations

Devised by President Wilson, it reflected the power of large countries. Although comprised of delegates from every country, it was designed to be run by a council of the five largest countries. It also included a provision for a world court.

1106. Collective Security

An Article 10 provision of the League charter, it stated that if one country was involved in a confrontation, other nations would support it. Collective security is agreements between countries for mutual defense and to discourage aggression.

1107. New Nations, self determination

After WW I, Germany, Eastern Europe and the western portion of the former Russian Empire split into new countries. Wilson wanted them to have their own governments.

1108. Reparations

As part of the Treaty of Versailles, Germany was ordered to pay fines to the Allies to repay the costs of the war. Opposed by the U.S., it quickly lead to a severe depression in Germany.

1109. Mandate system

A half-way system between outright imperial domination and independence, it was used to split Germany's empire after WW I.

1110. Article 10 (Article X) of the Versailles Treaty

Created the League of Nations.

1111. Article 231 of the Versailles Treaty

One of the more controversial articles, it dealt with the legal liability of Germany vs. the moral liability.

1112. Senate rejection, Senator Henry Cabot Lodge, reservations

Lodge was against the League of Nations, so he packed the foreign relations committee with critics and was successful in convincing the Senate to reject the treaty.

1113. "Irreconcilables": Borah, Johnson, LaFollette

Some Senators would have been willing to support the League of Nations if certain reservations were made to the treaty. The "Irreconcilables" voted against the League of Nations with or without reservations.

1114. Red Scare, Palmer raids

In 1919, the Communist Party was gaining strength in the U.S., and Americans feared Communism. In January, 1920, Palmer raids in 33 cities broke into meeting halls and homes without warrants. 4,000 "Communists" were jailed, some were deported.