Pueblo speech

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The Pueblo speech was an address in favour of the League of Nations, given by US President Woodrow Wilson on 25 September 1919. This was the last such address he gave due to ill health. It was held in Pueblo, Colorado hence its name.

[edit] Background

In the wake of the settlements agreed at the Paris Peace Conference President Wilson set about the task of convincing the United States Congress to ratify both the treaty and to approve American participation in Wilson's own invention, the League of Nations. This task was then considered impossible due to a majority of the Congress being Wilson's political enemies. Wilson embarked on a tour of the country to canvass support in favour of both treaty and League, until illness forced him to return home after the Pueblo speech. The United States never joined the League of Nations.

[edit] Further reading

  • Pueblo Speech (text of speech), This version taken from: James Andrews and David Zarefsky (Eds.), American Voices: Significant Speeches in American History 1640-1945, published in 1989 by Longman INC.: White Plains, New York..