1. Moral Opposition to War: Wilson initially held a pacifist stance, believing that war should be avoided through diplomacy and international cooperation. He opposed armed conflict and advocated for peaceful resolution of disputes. However, he later came to believe that war could sometimes be necessary to defend democratic values and oppose tyranny.
2. Selective Intervention: Wilson supported the idea of selective intervention, where the United States would intervene in foreign conflicts to uphold democratic principles and protect human rights. He believed that the U.S. had a responsibility to use its power to promote peace and justice in the world.
3. Self-Determination: Wilson championed the principle of self-determination, which allowed nations to choose their own forms of government and determine their own destinies. He believed that the world should be organized based on the consent of the governed rather than imperial domination or colonial rule.
4. League of Nations: After World War I, Wilson played a leading role in establishing the League of Nations, an international organization aimed at preventing future wars through collective security and peaceful negotiation. He believed that a cooperative international system could resolve disputes and promote global peace.
5. Fourteen Points: In 1918, Wilson outlined his Fourteen Points, a series of principles for achieving a just and lasting peace after the war. These points included open covenants of peace, freedom of the seas, disarmament, reduction of trade barriers, and the creation of an international peacekeeping organization (later realized as the League of Nations).
6. Neutrality and Isolation: Before World War I, Wilson pursued a policy of neutrality, seeking to avoid involvement in European conflicts. However, he ultimately decided that the U.S. needed to enter the war to defend democratic values and prevent the spread of autocratic regimes.
Overall, Woodrow Wilson's main points of war evolved over time, from a pacifist stance to a more nuanced view that sometimes justified war as a means to defend democracy, human rights, and global peace. His ideas influenced U.S. foreign policy and international diplomacy for decades to come.