Reading: 14 Points

President Woodrow Wilson’s “14 Points” Speech to Congress January 8th, 1918 (Modified)

1. Open covenants of peace must be arrived at, after which there will surely be no private international action or rulings of any kind, but diplomacy shall proceed always frankly and in the public view.

(Countries should not make secret alliances with each other.)

3. The removal, so far as possible, of all economic barriers and the establishment of an equality of trade conditions among all the nations consenting to the peace…

(Countries should be able to trade openly with one another.)

4. Adequate guarantees given and taken that national armaments will be reduced to the lowest points consistent with domestic safety.

(Countries should reduce the size of their militaries.)

14. A general association of nations must be formed under specific covenants for the purpose of affording mutual guarantees of political independence and territorial integrity to great and small states alike.

(A League of Nations should be created to prevent future wars.)

Vocabulary Covenants: agreements Diplomacy: negotiation, deal-making Armaments: weapons, military Territorial integrity: borders

Context President Wilson believed that his “14 Points” should be the basis for the peace with Germany. They were designed to promote fairness and equality among countries and prevent future wars. He gave this speech without consulting with his allies (Britain and France) and it angered them.