Which of the following was a reason that the US Senate refused to let the United States join the League of Nations? A. They feared trade disputes with Britain and France. B. They worried about having to take part in future wars. C. They wanted to allow Germany to balance French power in Europe. D. They hoped to take over Europe’s former colonies. E. They were interested in controlling shipping routes in the Atlantic.

Respuesta :

The answer is: B. They worried about having to take part in future wars.

  • The U.S. Senate refused to let the United States join the League of Nations, an idea forged by the American President Woodrow Wilson during World War I, since according to Article 10 of the League's draft, all member states were obliged to respond with military action as a solution for conflict if one arises after lengthy mediation, and the US senate, having in mind the amount of Americans who died in the First World War, did not want to risk their troops, once again, in an European war. This kind of policy resulted in isolationism from the U.S. during the 1930's: most Americans believed it would be best to avoid international affairs completely, specially European and Asian ones.

Correct answer:  B. They worried about having to take part in future wars.

Context/detail:

The United States never joined the League of Nations, in spite of the fact that an organization such as the League of Nations was the signature idea of US President Woodrow Wilson.  He had laid out 14 Points for establishing and maintaining world peace following the Great War (World War I).  Point #14 was the establishment of an international peacekeeping association. The Treaty of Versailles adopted that idea, but back home in the United States, there was not support for involving America in any association that could diminish US sovereignty over its own affairs or involve the US again in wars beyond those pertinent to the United States' own national security.   Because of its objections to membership in the League of Nations, the United States Senate refused to ratify the Treaty of Versailles.