Which of the following statements about the Treaty of Versailles is true?
A. The United States Senate rejected it because it treated Germany too leniently.B. The United States Senate rejected it because it required increased American involvement in European affairs.
C. The United States Senate approved it, with reservations concerning the division of Eastern Europe.
D. It was never voted on by the United States Senate. Show AnswerCorrect Answer: B
Explanation:
B Many Americans supported the U.S. war effort only grudgingly, and then only after German (and, to a lesser extent, British) interference with American shipping had provoked the United States to take action. Many argued that America should stick to the foreign policy suggested in both George Washington's farewell address and the Monroe Doctrine, and therefore (1) avoid political alliances with other countries and (2) remain neutral regarding European conflicts. Wilson negotiated the Treaty of Versailles (the peace treaty following World War I) for the United States. He was unable to get a treaty that reflected his conciliatory Fourteen Points, as the Allies demanded a treaty that punished Germany harshly. Nonetheless, Wilson did the best he could and returned with a document he was ready to present to the Senate. The treaty included provisions for the League of Nations (which Wilson had fought hard for) and contained a clause that could have been interpreted as committing the American military to the defense of European borders. Wilson, a Democrat, tried to sell this treaty to the Republican Senate, but he could not muster the two-thirds majority required for ratification, and so the treaty was never approved by the United States.
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