gainst them, imperialists gained the hope of retaining some or all of Germanys colonies, and the freedom of the seas provision attracted all Germans, who despised the despotic control of the British navy of the worlds seas. (24) However, the Germans only defender at the peace negotiations because they were not included was President Wilson and his delegation, which constantly gave in on most of the provisions of the Fourteen Points in order to ensure the inclusion of the League of Nations in the peace settlement. The German delegates signed a vastly different treaty than they expected in June of 1919.The inclusion of the League of Nations in the Versailles Treaty was promising, but ultimately the League proved to be weak. President Wilson presented the treaty to a hostile Senate and an increasingly disinterested American public. The Senate passed the treaty, but made several alterations that were unacceptable to Wilson, and he refused to sign it into law. Therefore, the U.S., whose power and force of moderation was vital to the League of Nations, did not enter the League it had itself in part designed. This had several effects. First and foremost, it impaired the authority and prestige of the League at its birth... (25) In addition, it ensured a lack of American cooperation with Britain that might have served to stabilize Europe and subdue a vindictive France. (26) As a result, the British and French were reduce to dueling leaders in the League, leaving Europe and particularly Germany to the social and economic upheaval that produced Hitlers totalitarian rule in the 1930s. (27) The weaknesses of the treaty and weakness of the League ensured future conflict because of the lack of stability they caused in a socially and economically torn Europe.Before long, Germany took advantage of the treatys weaknesses. Although the treaty and the League of Nations established by the document called for general disarmament, the French argued...
