What is each of the fourteen points mean?

As an expert in international relations and historical diplomacy, I can provide a comprehensive explanation of the Fourteen Points, which were a set of principles for post-World War I peace negotiations proposed by President Woodrow Wilson of the United States. The Fourteen Points were outlined in a speech to Congress on January 8, 1918, and were intended to guide the peace process and prevent future conflicts. Here is a detailed breakdown of each point: 1. Open Diplomacy: The first point called for the establishment of a peace that would be based on open agreements openly arrived at, as opposed to secret alliances and understandings. 2. Freedom of the Seas: Wilson advocated for the removal of all barriers to free trade and the freedom of the seas in peace and war, except as the seas might be closed in whole or in part by international action for the enforcement of international covenants. 3. Reduction of Armaments: The third point proposed the reduction of national armaments to the lowest point consistent with domestic safety. 4. Guarantee of Sovereignty: This point emphasized the importance of guaranteeing sovereignty and the political independence of all peace-loving nations. 5. Impartial Adjustment of Colonial Claims: Wilson proposed that impartial adjustment of all colonial claims be made based on the principle that governments derive all their just powers from the consent of the governed. 6. Eviction of Imperialism from Europe: The sixth point called for the establishment of an independent Poland with secure access to the sea. 7. Return of Lost Territories: This point called for the return of territories taken by force during the war, such as Alsace-Lorraine to France. 8. Adjustment of Italian Frontiers: The eighth point suggested that the borders of Italy be rectified along clearly recognizable lines of nationality. 9. **Balkan Independence and Self-Determination**: The ninth point called for the creation of a Balkan league of nations, with Serbia, Montenegro, and other states enjoying secure access to the Adriatic. 10. Restoration of Belgium: Wilson advocated for the restoration of Belgium as an independent and neutral nation. 11. Eviction of Turkey from Europe: The eleventh point called for the evacuation of all Turkish territory in Europe and the creation of an independent Polish state. 12. **Economic Opportunities in the Near East and Africa**: This point proposed equal opportunities for all nations to trade in the whole navigable waters of the world, with control being taken away from the governments and placed in the hands of the consumers. 13. Reduction of Economic Barriers: The thirteenth point called for the establishment of an international program of economic cooperation to secure the removal of all economic barriers and the establishment of equality of trade conditions among all nations consenting to the peace and associating themselves for its maintenance. 14. League of Nations: The final point was the most significant, calling for the formation of an international league that would aim to prevent the recurrence of world wars. The Fourteen Points were a visionary blueprint for a new world order, emphasizing the importance of self-determination, open diplomacy, and international cooperation. However, they faced criticism and were not fully realized in the Treaty of Versailles, which officially ended World War I.

Fourteen Points definition. Fourteen goals of the United States in the peace negotiations after World War I. President Woodrow Wilson announced the Fourteen Points to Congress in early 1918.