<We finally agree on something Jacob.>
In theory, Wilson could have negotiated the post-war treaty when our bargaining position was strong, before our troops went to France. In theory, he could have forced France to agree, ahead of time, to his 14 Points, in a way they couldn't wriggle out of later. In theory. In practice, Wilson lost control of events as soon as he asked Congress to declare war.
And this is a historical pattern. Leaders always lose control of events at that point, with unforeseen (and frequently disastrous) results.
Never, never, never believe any war will be smooth and easy, or that anyone who embarks on the strange voyage can measure the tides and hurricanes he will encounter. The statesman who yields to war fever must realize that once the signal is given, he is no longer the master of policy but the slave of unforeseeable and uncontrollable events. Sir Winston Churchill (1874 - 1965)
So, the only real choice Wilson had, was whether or not to lead the nation into war. Having "loosed the blood-dimmed tide", there was no possibility of controlling the consequences. |
