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At the same time he communicates the message that Americans as a “new nation in the high and honorable hope” should “show mankind the way to liberty’. President Wilson states that “present war must be ended” and America’s participation is aimed by a concern of future peace. He describes it as “a peace that is worth guaranteeing and preserving, a peace that will win the approval of mankind, not merely a peace that will serve the several interests and immediate aims of the nations engaged”.
Without America’s participation secure peace in Europe would be impossible, and a new balance of power would be created. Wilson also points out that balance of power In Europe should be substitute for a “community power; not organized rivalries but an organized, common peace… ” He suggests that America would “guarantee the stable equilibrium of the new arrangement”. Also, to assure the stably of the peace In Europe “it must be a peace without victory. Wilson was against “peace forced upon the loser” with it “humiliation… ND a bitter memory’, because he believed that “only a peace between equals can last”. It was Willow’s hope that the various warring powers could agree to end the war without carrying out to the point where one side was clearly defeated and had no choice but to surrender. Fairly obviously, this hope was not ultimately realized. The Entente powers, who were the victors, enforced such harsh conditions on the Central powers (particularly Germany) that they essentially ensured World War II, which is more or less what Wilson meant when he said “only a peace without victory can last. Woodrow Wilson, War Message to Congress, 2 April 1917 In this address to Congress, asking for a declaration of war against Germany, how does Wilson explain the necessity of war? What will be the American people’s goal or war aim? The president’s purpose of this address was not only to convince the Congress that American participation In the final stages of the war would indefinitely Horton it and provide Wilson with the opportunity to establish the peace in Europe, but to change the American people’s opinion about isolationism.
This war “against mankind” Wilson defined as the intent of German submarines to take the lives of innocent citizens, who were supplying aid or exporting goods on merchant ships. Wilson calls it “a war against all nations”, and makes his address seemed more convincing by associating the united States with other friendly (“neutral”) countries who are also suffered from German attacks. The president expressed his regret in having to make such a move but found it as his “constitutional duty” to so.
Wilson the war “for democracy, for the right of those who submit to authority to have a voice in their own governments, for the rights and liberties of small nations, for a universal dominion of right by such a concert of free peoples as shall bring peace and safety to all nations and make the world itself at last free”. With the statement “the world must be made safe for democracy’, Wilson ruled out any questions as to why he was leading his country into combat and it became evident that his words pointed to principle, not “selfish ends”, as the motive for war.
He proclaimed America wasn’t sighting against the German people, but we were engaged in a battle opposing the government of which the people had no control over. “We have no feeling towards them but one of sympathy and friendship. It was not upon their impulse that their government acted in entering this war. It was not with their previous knowledge or approval”. Wilson summarizes his war aims into one sweeping goal: to make the world safe for democracy. He ended with, “God helping her she can do no other. ” With this closing sentence Woodrow Wilson left America with no choice but to defend her honor.