Why did Allied leaders not share Wilson's vision of a peace without victory?

Answer 1

They want Germany to pay for WWI. Well it wasn't as simple as that. Wilson's idea of peace was very idealistic. Plus, the War had been fought on French soil, hundreds and thousands of homes were destroyed. America didn't have that problem. Wilson tried to create a peace with best interest of everyone but that doesn't work in Europe. You have to remember that Europe has a much much longer history than America, and there is a lot of vengeance in the air. For example, this is a very rare time where Britain and France were actually on the same side- and they weren't used to it. You know they once had a hundred year war? France had always hated Germany since they took Alsace-Lorraine, and it had suffered so much from the War-and they knew that Germany would try and attack as soon as they were powerful enough (which they sort of did- hence WWII) so Wilson's idea of peace without victory wouldn't exactly be satisfactory. Furthermore, one of Wilson's fourteen points was self-determination. There is no way that could work in Europe, where there are dozens of different dialects- you'd end up with tiny weak countries- like Yugoslavia and Czechoslovakia- that are extremely vulnerable. Wilson had good intentions, but he was an idealist, and when he's stuck in a room with France and Britain (who are rarely on the same side in a war) trying to determine the Treaty of Versailles- it's not going to be very easy for him.

Answer 2

they wanted Germany punished for there part of the war.

Answer 3

The allies had nothing to gain from Wilson's 14 point plan of peace. They wanted the Germans to pay for all the damage they caused.