Origin of the Tenth Point: United States and Austro-Hungarian Empire\u27s Diplomatic Relations through the First World War

The United States has been an active promoter of nationalism and the right of state sovereignty to the benefit of the Western World. This is apparent at the end of First World War, with the rebirth of several central European countries out of the decaying Austro-Hungarian Empire. The leading major Entente powers all had different ideas on what should be made out of this portion of Europe. The main foreign diplomatic position on these difficult problems for America was made by President Woodrow Wilson, and popularized through his famous Congressional speech of ÒFourteen Points.Ó In particular, he aimed America\u27s stance on the fate of the Austro-Hungarian Empire with his tenth point, stating X. The peoples of Austria-Hungary, whose place among the nations we wish to see safeguard and assured, should be accorded the freest opportunity of autonomous development. [1] He believed that the nationalities of the decaying Austro-Hungarian Empire should be able develop as autonomous states, and to exercise soverign national integrity. Wilson ignored the advice of his appointed council on future for Central Europe, choosing instead to use his own knowledge of the region to compose American foreign policy. His decisions would ultimately leave the emerging countries out of the Austro-Hungarian Empire in a state of political and economic turmoil. This presents the question on the process and history of the creation of American foreign policy in regards to the deterioration of the Austro-Hungarian Empire? [1] Margaret MacMillan, Paris 1919: Six Months That Changed The World (New York, Random House Publishing Group, 2003) 49