Name_____________________________

8January,1918:
PresidentWoodrowWilson'sFourteenPoints
[Par.1]Itwillbeourwishandpurposethattheprocessesofpeace,whentheyarebegun,
shallbeabsolutelyopenandthattheyshallinvolveandpermithenceforthnosecret
understandingsofanykind.Thedayofconquestandaggrandizementisgonebysoisalsothe
dayofsecretcovenantsenteredintointheinterestofparticulargovernmentsandlikelyatsome
unlookedformomenttoupsetthepeaceoftheworld.Itisthishappyfact,nowcleartotheview
ofeverypublicmanwhosethoughtsdonotstilllingerinanagethatisdeadandgone,which
makesitpossibleforeverynationwhosepurposesareconsistentwithjusticeandthepeaceofthe
worldtoavownoworatanyothertimetheobjectsithasinview.
[Par.2]Weenteredthiswarbecauseviolationsofrighthadoccurredwhichtouchedustothe
quickandmadethelifeofourownpeopleimpossibleunlesstheywerecorrectedandtheworld
secureonceforallagainsttheirrecurrence.Whatwedemandinthiswar,therefore,isnothing
peculiartoourselves.Itisthattheworldbemadefitandsafetoliveinandparticularlythatitbe
madesafeforeverypeacelovingnationwhich,likeourown,wishestoliveitsownlife,
determineitsowninstitutions,beassuredofjusticeandfairdealingbytheotherpeoplesofthe
worldasagainstforceandselfishaggression.Allthepeoplesoftheworldareineffectpartners
inthisinterest,andforourownpartweseeveryclearlythatunlessjusticebedonetoothersit
willnotbedonetous.Theprogrammeoftheworld'speace,therefore,isourprogrammeand
thatprogramme,theonlypossibleprogramme,asweseeit,isthis:

I.
Opencovenantsofpeace,openlyarrivedat,afterwhichthereshallbenoprivate
internationalunderstandingsofanykindbutdiplomacyshallproceedalwaysfranklyandinthe
publicview.
II.
Absolutefreedomofnavigationupontheseas,outsideterritorialwaters,alikeinpeace
andinwar,exceptastheseasmaybeclosedinwholeorinpartbyinternationalactionforthe
enforcementofinternationalcovenants.
III.
Theremoval,sofaraspossible,ofalleconomicbarriersandtheestablishmentofan
equalityoftradeconditionsamongallthenationsconsentingtothepeaceandassociating
themselvesforitsmaintenance.
IV.
Adequateguaranteesgivenandtakenthatnationalarmamentswillbereducedtothe
lowestpointconsistentwithdomesticsafety.

V.
Afree,openminded,andabsolutelyimpartialadjustmentofallcolonialclaims,based
uponastrictobservanceoftheprinciplethatindeterminingallsuchquestionsofsovereigntythe
interestsofthepopulationsconcernedmusthaveequalweightwiththeequitableclaimsofthe
governmentwhosetitleistobedetermined.
VI.
TheevacuationofallRussianterritoryandsuchasettlementofallquestionsaffecting
Russiaaswillsecurethebestandfreestcooperationoftheothernationsoftheworldin
obtainingforheranunhamperedandunembarrassedopportunityfortheindependent
determinationofherownpoliticaldevelopmentandnationalpolicyandassureherofasincere
welcomeintothesocietyoffreenationsunderinstitutionsofherownchoosingand,morethana
welcome,assistancealsoofeverykindthatshemayneedandmayherselfdesire.Thetreatment
accordedRussiabyhersisternationsinthemonthstocomewillbetheacidtestoftheirgood
will,oftheircomprehensionofherneedsasdistinguishedfromtheirowninterests,andoftheir
intelligentandunselfishsympathy.
VII.
Belgium,thewholeworldwillagree,mustbeevacuatedandrestored,withoutany
attempttolimitthesovereigntywhichsheenjoysincommonwithallotherfreenations.No
othersingleactwillserveasthiswillservetorestoreconfidenceamongthenationsinthelaws
whichtheyhavethemselvessetanddeterminedforthegovernmentoftheirrelationswithone
another.Withoutthishealingactthewholestructureandvalidityofinternationallawisforever
impaired.
VIII.
AllFrenchterritoryshouldbefreedandtheinvadedportionsrestored,andthewrong
donetoFrancebyPrussiain1871inthematterofAlsaceLorraine,whichhasunsettledthe
peaceoftheworldfornearlyfiftyyears,shouldberighted,inorderthatpeacemayoncemorebe
madesecureintheinterestofall.
IX.
AreadjustmentofthefrontiersofItalyshouldbeeffectedalongclearlyrecognizable
linesofnationality.
X.
ThepeoplesofAustriaHungary,whoseplaceamongthenationswewishtosee
safeguardedandassured,shouldbeaccordedthefreestopportunitytoautonomousdevelopment.
XI.
Rumania,Serbia,andMontenegroshouldbeevacuatedoccupiedterritoriesrestored
SerbiaaccordedfreeandsecureaccesstotheseaandtherelationsoftheseveralBalkanstatesto
oneanotherdeterminedbyfriendlycounselalonghistoricallyestablishedlinesofallegianceand
nationalityandinternationalguaranteesofthepoliticalandeconomicindependenceand
territorialintegrityoftheseveralBalkanstatesshouldbeenteredinto.
XII.
TheturkishportionofthepresentOttomanEmpireshouldbeassuredasecure
sovereignty,buttheothernationalitieswhicharenowunderTurkishruleshouldbeassuredan
undoubtedsecurityoflifeandanabsolutelyunmolestedopportunityofautonomous
development,andtheDardanellesshouldbepermanentlyopenedasafreepassagetotheships
andcommerceofallnationsunderinternationalguarantees.

XIII.
AnindependentPolishstateshouldbeerectedwhichshouldincludetheterritories
inhabitedbyindisputablyPolishpopulations,whichshouldbeassuredafreeandsecureaccessto
thesea,andwhosepoliticalandeconomicindependenceandterritorialintegrityshouldbe
guaranteedbyinternationalcovenant.
XIV.
Ageneralassociationofnationsmustbeformedunderspecificcovenantsforthe
purposeofaffordingmutualguaranteesofpoliticalindependenceandterritorialintegritytogreat
andsmallstatesalike.

[Par.3]Inregardtotheseessentialrectificationsofwrongandassertionsofrightwefeel
ourselvestobeintimatepartnersofallthegovernmentsandpeoplesassociatedtogetheragainst
theImperialists.Wecannotbeseparatedininterestordividedinpurpose.Westandtogether
untiltheend.
[Par.4]Forsucharrangementsandcovenantswearewillingtofightandtocontinuetofight
untiltheyareachievedbutonlybecausewewishtherighttoprevailanddesireajustandstable
peacesuchascanbesecuredonlybyremovingthechiefprovocationstowar,whichthis
programmedoesremove.WehavenojealousyofGermangreatness,andthereisnothinginthis
programmethatimpairsit.Wegrudgehernoachievementordistinctionoflearningorofpacific
enterprisesuchashavemadeherrecordverybrightandveryenviable.Wedonotwishtoinjure
herortoblockinanywayherlegitimateinfluenceorpower.Wedonotwishtofighthereither
witharmsorwithhostilearrangementsoftradeifsheiswillingtoassociateherselfwithusand
theotherpeacelovingnationsoftheworldincovenantsofjusticeandlawandfairdealing.We
wishheronlytoacceptaplaceofequalityamongthepeoplesoftheworld,thenewworldin
whichwenowlive,insteadofaplaceofmastery.

Note:WhenWilsonsays,
evacuate
hemeansthatenemytroopsshouldleaveacountry.

Generalquestions:
Par.1WhatdoesWilsonthinkaboutsecretagreementsbetweengovernments?

Par.2AccordingtoWilson,whatisthegoalofUSinvolvementinWWI?

Par.3WhoaretheImperialistsWilsonsaysheopposes?Hecantbetalkingaboutthe
countriesthathaveoverseasempires,becauseeventheU.S.hadoverseasterritories(example:
Hawaii)atthetime.

Par.4WhatisWilsonsattitudetowardGermany?

Savethishandouttohelpyouwithyourgroupassignmentduringthenextclasses!