After World War I, Woodrow Wilson proposed implementing a "league of nations." Such a league would set rules of how countries should act. If a league country violated these rules, all other countries in the league would work against it in war, economics, and other means of support. The idea was that such a system would prevent future wars due to the fear of global war. The United States Senate and the general public did not condone such a league. They feared it would cause more harm than good. Despite this opposition, Wilson's mindset ultimately brought the United States to not participate. He refused to compromise on the league's conditions, presented the league to the public in the wrong manner, and used dirty methods to try and get the league passed. These actions led directly to the league's downfall and led to the United States not joining.
Wilson constantly used less than wholesome tactics to try and get his League of Nations policy passed. In 1918, Wilson urged the public to vote Democrat solely so that his post-war policies would be supported. This began to turn American's off to any policy that Wilson made after the war. It also resulted in a Republican held house and Congress. In document G, WEB Dubois states that this "stubborn way" of Wilson which led to a Republican held congress directly caused the United States to not participate in the League of Nations. Despite the Republican led Congress, Wilson only put Democrats on the committee to approve his over-seas treaty policies for the American people. Wilson also centered all other peace policies he made in the Treaty of Versailles around ensuring that there would be a League of Nations. This caught up with him when Article X was written and Wilson essentially promised war to all people who did not adhere to his peace policies. This once again frustrated the American people and led to them called Wilson's League of Nations a "war to prevent war, conflict to prevent conflict"...