All rights reserved. For information, write: Scholarly and Reference Division, St. Martin's Press, Inc., 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, N.Y.

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1 ISBN ISBN (ebook) DOI / G.R.Conyne1992 Softcover reprint of the hardcover 1st edition All rights reserved. For information, write: Scholarly and Reference Division, St. Martin's Press, Inc., 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, N.Y First published in the United States of America in 1992 ISBN Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Conyne, G. R. Woodrow Wilson: British perspectives, I G. R. Conyne. p. em. Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN Wilson, Woodrow, Public opinion. 2. United States -Foreign relations-great Britain. 3. Great Britain-Foreign relations-united States. 4. United States-Foreign relations Public opinion-great Britain -History-20th century. E767.l.C '3-dc20 I. Title CIP

2 Woodrow Wilson British Perspectives, G. R. Conyne Lecturer in History University of Kent Palgrave Macmillan

3 ISBN ISBN (ebook) DOI / G.R.Conyne1992 Softcover reprint of the hardcover 1st edition 1992 All rights reserved. For information, write: Scholarly and Reference Division, St. Martin's Press, Inc., 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, N.Y First published in the United States of America in 1992 ISBN Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Conyne, G. R. Woodrow Wilson: British perspectives, I G. R. Conyne. p. em. Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN Wilson, Woodrow, Public opinion. 2. United States -Foreign relations-great Britain. 3. Great Britain-Foreign relations-united States. 4. United States-Foreign relations Public opinion-great Britain -History-20th century. E767.1.C '3--<lc20 I. Title CIP

4 For my parents and in memory of Marion McMaster

5 Contents Preface viii Acknowledgements ix Introduction 1 1 Before the War, Neutrality 44 3 The War, : Danger, Victory and Confusions Face to Face in Paris After Versailles: The Rapid End Conclusions 190 Appendix 198 Notes 208 Bibliography 233 Index 238 vii

6 Preface Although this piece is written in a traditional chronological, narrative style, it is not a typical piece of historical writing. Instead, it is more a series of portraits of Woodrow Wilson as painted by the shapers of British foreign relations. I hope the reader will realise that these Britons created an image on Wilson very early in their period of watching him, and then added the detail, subtle shadings, and minor features not noticed earlier during the nine years that they watched him. This is not to say that official Britain all agreed that a single portrait of Wilson was accurate on any one occasion, but that these mental portraits accentuate different features of the subject, as much the famous portraits of Wilson by William Orpen and John Singer Sargent do. I also wish to draw the reader's attention to the intellectual background of the portraits as it influenced the way the diplomatists perceived Wilson. These mental portraits are one influence on the course of Anglo American relations because they lie at the base of how the government of the most important Allied combatant viewed the sole designer of the foreign policy of the new industrial giant. There were many others, but this is among the most important because of Wilson's aloofness from all advice in the direction of foreign relations. I hope, then, that this book allows for a deeper understanding of Anglo-American relations during this critical period by illuminating this central relationship. viii

7 Acknowledgements This book had its origins in a PhD written at the University of Cambridge under the direction Dr Zara Steiner, as wise a mentor as one could wish. In that work's acknowledgements, I thanked numerous scholars, librarians, and computer experts who helped me navigate my way through the difficult academic shoals. I take pleasure in doing so again. There are two that must receive my thanks again. They are Charlotte Erickson, for her support and counsel, and John Wells Gould, who fired my interest in diplomatic history. In that space I also wrote of the vital role my friends played in the production of that work. In this regard Patrick Kleyn, Richard Sparks, and Peter Arnold have continued their oft-needed support, and I am eager to state how important they were in the writing of this volume. Since that time, I have acquired numerous other debts that can only be partially repaid by thanking them in this space. Three friends from my graduate students days have offered their kind support in numerous vital ways. So I am pleased to thank Sean Matthews, Chris Weitz, and Scott Handy. Most directly important to the publication of this book are Michael Dockrill, the series editor, Belinda Holdsworth, and all those at my publishers who have have shown great patience with my attention to unfortunately necessary diversions. In addition, my colleagues, students, and friends at the University of Keele gave me many kindnesses and gave my difficulties on the way to finishing this book a substantial share of their attention. In particular I have enjoyed the support of David Adams, Peter Sykes, Mary Ellison, Matthew Dann, Simon Flint, Gary Sloan, William Moore, Christopher Wakeling, Peter and Judy Thomas, Kelvin Yearwood, and the members of the Department of American Studies not mentioned here. Of course I am also indebted to Professor Arthur Link and my current colleagues at the University of Kent for their support and encouragement. They have all made important contributions, either directly or indirectly, to the completion of this book. I owe each of them more than I can state here. George Conyne Canterbury, January 1991 ix

8 The situation is not satisfactory and we are drifting towards serious misunderstandings... Sir William Wiseman, August 1917 President Wilson's terms are capable of varying interpretations. Ronald Graham, December 1918 X