Chapter 15 - Challenges to the Peace Settlement

• Growth of isolationism in the USA following the war and the peace settlement (5)

  1. Popularity of isolationism increased due to experience of war

  2. Republics dubious about 14 points

  3. Businessmen worried about free trade policy in 14 points as they favoured protectionism

  4. Republics won the midterm election -> they promoted isolationism and made Wilson's ideals unpopular

  5. Immigration became an increasing concern
• USA's discontent towards the Treaty of Versailles (3)

  1. Pro-isolationist Republicans attacked specific points which contravened America's best interests and the 14 points

  2. Many uncomfortable about the fact that the USA would be relied on heavily to uphold the treaty & settle disputes due to their economic superiority, meaning the USA would be committed to long term troop deployment + involvement in European affairs

  3. Senate refused to ratify treaty + refused to allow USA to become a member of the League of Nations in 1920
• Which were the points that pro-isolationist Republicans in the USA felt contravened the USA's best interests and the 14 points? (5)

  1. Freedom of the seas had been abandoned when Britain blocked it

  2. Self determination not implemented everywhere e.g. Japan still allowed to occupy Shandong although this was USA's sphere of influence

  3. League of Nations mandates in former colonies + British empire offended USA's principle of anti-colonialism

  4. Republicans had expected fairer treaty and were worried it would cause bitterness and desire for revenge

  5. Concern that the treaty and the League of Nations would restrict America's freedom and the Monroe doctrine
• What was the USA's Monroe Doctrine? (1)

  Stated that Americans should remain free from European influence
• Who is Harding?


  President of USA after Wilson
• How did President Harding extent isolationism to immigration policy? (2)

  1. Banned immigration from Asia

  2. Introduced quotas to limit European immigrants
• How did President Harding extent isolationism to economic policy? (1)

  Introduced / increased tariffs to increase cost of foreign imports to protect domestic markets
• What was the impact of President Harding's economic policies? (2)

  1. USA trading partners responded with retaliatory tariffs to make American imports more expensive in their own countries

  2. This resulted in a decline in global trade, making international cooperation less important to economies
• Which countries were not allowed to join the League of Nations and what impact did this have? (1)

  USSR and Germany -> gave the impression that the League was for defending interests of members rather than promoting international peace
• What was the impact of the USA's refusal to join the League of Nations on the effectivity of the League? (5)


  1. Britain sought to rebuild their trade and protect the empire

  2. France became preoccupied with fear of German recovery and didn't trust Britain (felt Britain wasn't sympathetic enough towards France)

  3. Peacekeeping became more Eurocentric -> damaged League's credibility when responding to international crises

  4. Without the USA, the League lacked authority, political influence and economic power

  5. The League didn't have an army, rendering power of economic sanctions useless, particularly for the USA
• What was the French reaction to the post-war settlement? (2)

  1. French socialists argued that the treaty was too harsh and that France should cooperate with the new German democratic government

  2. Centre and right wing politicians thought the treaty contained few assurances against future German aggression eg. failure to secure Rhineland as a buffer + the fact that Germany was surrounded by small and weak states
• What was the British reaction to the post-war settlement? (1)

  British convinced that reparations would cause long-term economic misery in Germany, which would disadvantage Britain by hindering trade or even sparking a communist revolution in Britain
• What was the German reaction to the post-war settlement? (7)

  1. As there had been no Allied invasion, some felt stabbed in the back by the German government's acceptance of the treaty

  2. Many Germans saw treaty as 'diktat' as representatives had no role in negotiating terms

  3. German troops felt betrayed - a mood exploited by right-wing political parties

  4. War guilt clause angered Germans who felt Russia was also responsible

  5. Exclusion from League + military restrictions dented German pride and left Germany vulnerable to invasion

  6. New borders meant 6.5 million Germans lived under foreign rule -> concern that they would be persecuted

  7. Strong opposition towards reparations