Wilson’s second point still exists today:
II. Absolute freedom of navigation upon the seas, outside territorial waters, alike in peace and in war, except as the seas may be closed in whole or in part by international action for the enforcement of international covenants.
There is freedom of navigation upon the seas around the world, although the bodies of water have countries that are in control them. For example, the United States (as well as other nations) controls a certain amount of the surrounding water; otherwise it’s free to roam on. Unfortunately though, there has been an increase of piracy which is an opposition to Wilson’s second point. When the pirates see ships approaching their lands, they attack them even if they are of no harm to take their goods. The pirates request a ransom for the release of the ship and its contents. A lot of times this happens to ships carrying oil which is of extreme value, so the pirates get their requested ransom because it would be unfortunate to have a ship sink that is full of oil.
Wilson’s fourth point still exists today:
IV. Adequate guarantees given and taken that national armaments will be reduced to the lowest point consistent with domestic safety.
There is a United Kingdom-based organization that is non-profit and non-governmental which campaigns for a reduction of money spent on arms and the military and that the money saved should be diverted to programs that benefit humanity and the earth. This organization is known as the Arms Reduction Coalition (ARC). ARC wants the United Nations to agree to a legal act stating that the UN member states are to reduce the amount of resources spent on arms between one and five percent per year over a time span of ten to twenty-five years. The United Kingdom decided to take up on the offer of what is stated in Article 26 of the United Nations Charter; that the UN Security Council is responsible for allowing input for the “establishment of a system for the regulation of Armaments.”
Wilson’s thirteenth point still exists today:
XIII. An independent Polish state should be erected which should include the territories inhabited by indisputably Polish populations, which should be assured a free and secure access to the sea, and whose political and economic independence and territorial integrity should be guaranteed by international covenant.
In 1918, Germany surrendered, giving Poland its independence. Still today, Poland is independent.
Most of Wilson’s fourteenth point exists today:
XIV. A general association of nations must be formed under specific covenants for the purpose of affording mutual guarantees of political independence and territorial integrity to great and small states alike.
Wilson’s last point created a League of Nations. This league was an international association formed with the goal of keeping peace among nations. In 1945, the United Nations was created, replacing the league. The United Nations, although a completely different association, has the same main goal that Wilson’s league had: to keep peace and security throughout nations of the world.
I think that the most effective at preventing war is the one Wilson was most proud of; the fourteenth point. The fact that supports my belief is that even today, we have an organization based off of his League of Nations; the United Nations. If there were no such thing today, our world would most likely be facing more problems than there already is and creating more war because there wouldn’t be the effort of the international organization to strive for world peace.
President Woodrow Wilson |
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