Why did the U.S. fail to join the League of Nations....?

Question

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Answer 1

The U.S. did not 'fail' to join the League. The League of Nations was President Wilson's idea, but by the time it was implemented it had been so perverted by the major European powers - they were more interested in revenge than solving the reasons for hostilities between the nations of that time - that the United States declined to join.
Plus there is the historical isolationism of the American people. By the time the League was founded the people wanted no part of any international entanglements.

Answer 2

Woodrow Wilson, the then President of the United States, promoted the League of Nations very actively, in fact was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for those efforts in 1919, but due to active opposition from Republicans in Congress, and Wilson's refusal to compromise, the United States neither joined nor signed the treaty establishing the League of Nations in part 1 of the Treaty of Versailles. This made the League less effective than it could have been, notably not supported by the USA retreating into isolationism for a significant portion of the next 20 years.

Answer 3

The League of Nations idea originated in the USA, however by the time the European nations, especially France, had twisted it enough they liked it, it wasn't the same proposal any more. So the US declined to join. Originally it was supposed to be similar to the UN, with nations cooperating to find common ground. Instead the victorious allies tried to use it as a way to maintain their position of dominance, and exact revenge on their defeated enemy. But, it obviously didn't work for very long.

Answer 4

One of the first principles of international law is that an international agreement stands above national law. In the U.S., this principle was viewed as a threat to U.S. sovereignty (influential senators Henry Cabot Lodge of Massachusetts and William E. Borah of Idaho both subscribed to this view), so the Senate did not allow the U.S. government to participate in the League...

Answer 5

Most Americans didnt want to interfere with issues outside of America anymore after experiencing WW1. I think it is quite weird because US earned priceless bonus with almost no cost....when US joined the war, Germany and Britain/France were dead frustrated already

Answer 6

Because the American government adopted a policy of isolationism which means they kept to themselves

Answer 7

We didn't have a way to drive to Geneva Switzerland.






g-day!

Answer 8

Woodrow Wilson is a deceptive sort - - - - - with soft focus lens and distance one can see how he won two terms to the White House but when you examine Wilson one finds a frightfully flawed man who truly antagonized his enemies.

Wilson was a Democrat. Think back to the months leading up to the 2004 Elections. Think about now? How do Democrats and Republicans get along. Do Donkeys & Elephants cuddle together?

Wilson Personified the word for Donkey that Yahoo Communitty standards do not allow even if Jesus rode one once. Wilson was the first Democrat to wield power since Grover Cleveland back in 1892. Then as now Republicans consider the White House and Congress their personal property. In fact Wilson only gained power in 1912 because The Republicans were feuding, they were still feuding when Wilson won reelection in 1916. But the Republicans largely patched up their differences and made great gains in the Congressional Races of 1918. Largely because Wilson had not campaign as hard for Democrats, it was argued, it was also argued that Wilson had a war to tend to.

Anyhow long story short, in Congress Senator Henry Cabot Lodge, though dubbed an Isolationist, actually an Internationalist, he was determined to obstruct any thing that Wilson wanted and so the battle for the League became an epic Congressional Battle with Wilson the loser. People like to fantasize that if that 'rascal' Lodge had not thwarted Wilson then Gee Whiz No World War Two. It was not that simple. What complicates things is that Lodge was a truly great Republican so that is why people/historians hiss "ISOLATIONISTS' to explain away 'the mistake.'

Personally I applaud Lodge and agree his fight was right evenn though my nature is that of the aforementioned Donkey and yes people use the A word to describe my views along with Commie Liberal Socialist ..... Wilson was a segregationist who would have liked every ethnic group to stay in their own compound. Despite promoting something called 'the League of Nations,' Wilson was not fond of any culture outside of America. Which is ironic becausse during Wilson's battle with Congress he was more popular in Europe than he was in America.

See any good bio of Henry Cabot Lodge for a good description...

Wish I could unearth my copy and teleport it too you....
http://www.firstworldwar.com/bio/lodge.htm
""""""""Henry Cabot Lodge (1850-1924), a conservative Republican politician, proved a long-term adversary of Democratic President Woodrow Wilson and, ultimately, his nemesis.

Born to a prominent Boston family on 12 May 1850, Lodge was educated at Harvard from which he emerged with a Ph.D. in political science in 1876, being admitted to the bar the same year.

Lodge acted as assistant editor, from 1873-76, of the North American Review, before lecturing on U.S. history at Harvard from 1876-79. He co-edited the International Review (with John Torrey Morse) between 1880-81.

In 1880 Lodge was elected to the state legislature (until 1881), and to the House of Representatives in 1887 (until 1893). He subsequently served in the Senate from 1893 until his death in 1924.

Lodge took time to write a series of historical works and biographies in addition to carving out a growing political career. His works included biographies of Daniel Webster (1883) and George Washington (1889).

As a Senator Lodge formed a close alliance with Theodore Roosevelt. Despite his reputation as a conservative Republican Lodge was by no means isolationist. In favour of war with Spain in 1898, Lodge also favoured the acquisition of the Philippines.

Lodge firmly believed that America deserved (and should therefore be encouraged to develop) a prominent role in international diplomacy. In order to achieve this he therefore argued for ongoing development of an increased army and navy, military strength being a pre-requisite to diplomatic power.

Conservative and conventional to the extent that he supported the gold standard and protection, Lodge believed incoming 1912 President Woodrow Wilson to be one of the more risky occupants of the Oval Office, with his arch-progressive notions that were anathema to conservatives of Lodge's slant.

Suspicious and contemptuous of Wilson's peace policies, Lodge welcomed U.S. involvement in the First World War, while remaining (as chairman of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations) highly critical of Wilson's prosecution of the war.

A bitter opponent of Wilson (the feeling was mutual), Lodge's position was manifestly strengthened with the election of a Republican majority in the November 1918 mid-term elections. With this election victory Lodge became Senate Majority Leader.

Lodge used his powerful position to oppose Wilson's plan for U.S. participation in the League of Nations. Proposing a series of amendments to Wilson's bill ratifying U.S. entry into the League, Lodge succeeded in watering down U.S. involvement while simultaneously encouraging popular opposition to Wilson.

Wilson, ignoring the advice of his closest advisors (including Colonel House) refused to compromise with his Republican opponents; as a consequence Congress never ratified U.S. entry into the League.
In 1920 Lodge was one of a number of Senators who proposed (and secured) Warren G. Harding's nomination for the U.S. presidency.
Henry Cabot Lodge died on 9 November 1924 at the age of 74"""

Peace-------------------------