League of Nations

A Chronology

Nov. 11,1918 - Armistice ends fighting in Europe

Jan. 18, 1919 - Peace Conference opens in Paris; Big 4 include: Lloyd George of England, Orlando of Italy, Clemenceau of France, Woodrow Wilson of the U.S.

Feb. 14, 1919 - Wilson submits Draft Covenant for a League of Nations

Feb. 15, 1919 - Wilson leaves Paris and returns to the U.S.

Feb. 24, 1919 - Wilson arrives in Boston; gives speech promoting League

Feb. 26, 1919 - Wilson dinner meeting with Congress Foreign Policy leaders

Feb. 28, 1919 - Lodge speech rejects principle of mutual guarantee

Mar. 2, 1919 - 39 Senators sign Round Robin to separate League from Treaty

Mar. 4, 1919 - Wilson speech in New York declares Covenant and League are inseparable; Wilson returns to Paris

Mar. 5, 1919 - Wilson allows 4 changes in Covenant: (1) No member need accept a mandate. (2) Domestic affairs excluded. (3) Monroe Doctrine not impaired. (4) May withdraw after 2 years of notice.

May 19, 1919 - 66th Congress opens

June 10, 1919 - Knox introduces resolution to separate Treaty of League, but is defeated in Senate

July 8, 1919 - Wilson arrives in U.S. and presents League to Senate on July 10

Aug. 19, 1919 - Wilson at 3 hour lunch meeting with entire Senate Foreign Relations Committee agrees to interpretative reservations

Sept. 4, 1919 - Wilson’s 8000 mile tour; 40 speeches in 29 cities in 22 days

Sept. 10, 1919 - Committee proposes 45 amendments and 4 reservations; all amendments defeated by Senate; sent back to committee

Feb. 1, 1920 - England, France declare they would accept Senate reservations

Mar. 8, 1920 - Wilson repeats his opposition to Lodge reservations

Mar. 20, 1920 - Congress ends war by joint resolution but vetoed by Wilson

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A School Link Article. Courtesy of Kim Simoneau, LCCHS, March 10, 1999 .