The Fall of the Dynasties: The Collapse of the Old Order: 1905-1922

by Edmond Taylor

The Fourteen Points are summarized as follows: (1) Open covenants of peace, openly arrived at, after which there shall be no private international understandings of any kind, but diplomacy shall proceed always frankly and in the public view. (2) Absolute freedom of navigation upon the seas, outside territorial waters, alike in peace and war ... (3) The removal, so far as possible, of all economic barriers ... (4) Adequate guaranties given and taken that national armaments will be reduced to the lowest point consistent with domestic safety. (5) Free, open-minded, and absolutely impartial adjustment of all colonial claims, based upon a strict observance of the principle that in determining all such questions of sovereignty the interests of the populations concerned must have equal weight with the equitable claims of the Government whose title is to be determined. (6) The evacuation of all Russian territory ... Russia to be given unhampered and unembarrassed opportunity for the independent determination of her own political development and national policy. Russia to be welcome and more than welcome in the League of Nations under institutions of her own choosing and to be given every form of assistance. (7) Belgium to be evacuated and restored. (8) France to be evacuated, the invaded portions restored and Alsace-Lorraine returned to her. (9) A readjustment of the frontiers of Italy should be effected along clearly recognizable lines of nationality. (10) The peoples of Austria-...