1 From 1917 to 1919 Woodrow Wilson argued that the United States faced new responsibilities for global leadership, and advocated U.S. participation in the League of Nations, a collective body designed to ensure international peace, security, and prosperity. Most Americans rejected Wilson’s overtures, however. Beginning in 1937 Franklin Roosevelt (and Truman after FDR’s death) made arguments similar to those of Wilson and ultimately built widespread public support for full involvement in World War II and postwar international organizations like the United Nations, the IMF and World Bank, etc. Why did Roosevelt and Truman succeed where Wilson failed? Had the new Democrats presented their initiatives more skillfully, had Americans
These international organizations encouraged stable prices, the reduction of tariffs, flexible domestic markets, and international trade based on fixed exchange rates.
Why League of Nations Failed?
Wilson issued an open letter in late October 1918 to his "fellow countrymen" urging that Democrats retain their majorities in both chambers and suggesting that a Republican victory would give comfort to the Germans. This angered many republicans, who had indeed backed the war, and fueled the Republicans to win the House and the Senate. Also, Wilson failed to include any republicans in the negotiotians with the Treaty of Versailles.
Proposing the United Nations concept President Roosevelt recognized the inherent weaknesses of the League of Nations, but faced with the reality of another world war, also saw the value of planning for the creation of an international organization to maintain peace in the post-World War II era. He felt that this time, the United States needed to play a leading role both in the creation of the organization, and in the organization itself. Moreover, in contrast to the League, the new organization needed the power to enforce key decisions. Learning from Woodrow Wilson’s failure to gain Congressional support for the League of Nations, the Roosevelt Administration aimed to include a wide range of administration and elected officials in its effort to establish the proposed United Nations. The State Department played a