Chapter 30 13 Themes
Chapter 30
The War to End War
Big ideas matter. Here are the most important themes for this chapter.
The over-arching theme of chapter 30 is that America reluctantly joined WWI, then threw itself into the war effort with full force.
- President Wilson outlined the war’s objectives with his Fourteen Points. They set the goals of free seas, self-determination after the war, and establishing an international body to prevent future wars.
- A military draft was instituted, the first since the Civil War.
- Women went to work more than they’d ever done and black soldiers were drafted into the military into segregated units.
- The Americans focussed their military effort in protecting Paris from the Germans.
- At the Treaty of Versailles, Wilson agreed to allow England and France to punish Germany for the war. In return, they agreed to start Wilson’s “League of Nations".
- However, the US Senate rejected the Treaty/League. They didn’t wish to turn over America’s decision-making to a foreign body like the League of Nations.