President Woodrow Wilson viewed war as savage and barbaric. In World War I he led the United States with unique war aims, insisting that we were fighting “a war to end wars”, and a “war to make the world safe for democracy”, He also emphasized that the United States sought a just peace, a “peace without victory” and a “peace among equals”. This meant that the United States sought no war debts, nor indemnities—and not one inch of territory. Accordingly he published his idealistic Fourteen Points for “a just and lasting peace”.
At the peace conference ending World War I, Wilson was forced to capitulate on thirteen of his famous Fourteen Points. But he gained acceptance of his Fourteenth Point, giving the world section one of The Treaty of Versailles, known as The Covenant of the League of Nations.
All nations that signed The Treaty of Versailles automatically accepted membership in the League of Nations. Ironically President Wilson authored and fathered the League, but the United States Senate refused to ratify the Treaty and accept League membership.
In the ensuing years, isolationist America sat idly by, watching Japan expand in Asia, the Italians move into the Middle East, and Nazi Germany dominate the western appendage of Europe. But when Japan attacked the United States, isolationism was dead forever.
After the Americans, Russians, and British defeated the Rome-Berlin-Tokyo Axis, with smoke rising from three blood-stained continents, and with the dawn of the thermonuclear era, the United States Senate accepted membership in the United Nations with a smashing vote of 89 to 2. President Wilson was finally vindicated for his wisdom and foresight. He is one of four American Presidents who have received the Nobel Peace Prize.