Wilson, Thomas Woodrow

Wilson, Thomas Woodrow
(1856–1924)
   Twenty-eighth president of the United States 1913–21. In the crucial period of 1917 to 1920, that saw the BALFOUR Declaration and the Palestine mandate come into being, President Wilson came under contending pressures regarding the American attitude towards the Jewish National Home. He was disposed in favour of Zionism by his stern Presbyterian upbringing, his belief in self-determination for small repressed peoples and the personal influence on him of such leading American Zionists as Louis BRANDEIS, Stephen WISE and Felix FRANKFURTER. Against that were a number of negative arguments, arrayed by his secretary of state, Robert Lansing. He argued that Palestine belonged to Turkey, with which the United States was not at war; that American economic interests would be prejudiced; that Christian sentiment would resent Jewish domination in the Holy Land; and that many influential Jewish groups and leaders were themselves lukewarm about or opposed to Zionism. Lansing’s attitude was backed by American oil companies and missionary groups active in the Arab world. In 1917, Wilson gave a favourable response to an informal sounding from the British government about the proposed Balfour Declaration. After the declaration had been issued, Lansing was able to prevent official United States endorsement of it, to the disappointment of the Zionist leaders. However, in August 1918 Wilson wrote to Rabbi Wise that, ‘I welcome an opportunity to express the satisfaction I have felt in the progress of the Zionist movement in the United States and in the allied countries since the declaration by Mr Balfour on behalf of the British government, of Great Britain’s approval of the establishment of a national home for the Jewish people…’ This was regarded as implied support for the Balfour Declaration. In March 1919, the president assured a Jewish delegation that he was ‘persuaded that the Allied nations with the fullest encouragement of our government and people are agreed that in Palestine there shall be laid the foundations of a Jewish Commonwealth’. Soon after, he caused consternation in Zionist ranks by agreeing to the King-Crane commission going to Palestine to report on the wishes of the local inhabitants. The report was strongly anti-Zionist but was shelved.
   In 1920, Wilson, already an invalid, performed another important service to Zionism by opposing the French plan to include a major part of the Galilee in Syria and Lebanon. At the Paris Peace Conference, Wilson gave his full support to the Jewish submissions on the need for guarantees for minority rights in the new successor states in Europe.

Who’s Who in Jewish History after the period of the Old Testament. . 2012.

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  • Wilson, (Thomas)Woodrow — Wilson, (Thomas) Woodrow. 1856 1924. The 28th President of the United States (1913 1921), whose administration was marked by World War I and the introduction of prohibition. At the Paris Peace Conference (1919) he included the establishment of… …   Universalium

  • Wilson, (Thomas) Woodrow — born Dec. 28, 1856, Staunton, Va., U.S. died Feb. 3, 1924, Washington, D.C. 28th president of the U.S. (1913–21). He earned a law degree and later received his doctorate from Johns Hopkins University. He taught political science at Princeton… …   Universalium

  • Wilson, (Thomas) Woodrow — (28 dic. 1856, Staunton, Va., EE.UU.–3 feb. 1924, Washington, D.C.). Vigésimo octavo presidente de EE.UU. (1913–21). Se tituló de abogado y luego se doctoró en la Universidad Johns Hopkins. Fue profesor de ciencia política en la Universidad de… …   Enciclopedia Universal

  • Thomas Woodrow Wilson — Woodrow Wilson Thomas Woodrow Wilson (* 28. Dezember 1856 in Staunton, Virginia, USA; † 3. Februar 1924 in Washington, D. C.) war der 28. Präsident der Vereinigten Staaten von Amerika …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Thomas Woodrow Wilson — Woodrow Wilson Pour les articles homonymes, voir Wilson. Woodrow Wilson …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Thomas Woodrow Wilson — noun 28th President of the United States; led the United States in World War I and secured the formation of the League of Nations (1856 1924) • Syn: ↑Wilson, ↑Woodrow Wilson, ↑President Wilson • Derivationally related forms: ↑Wilsonian (for:… …   Useful english dictionary

  • Thomas W. Wilson — Woodrow Wilson Thomas Woodrow Wilson (* 28. Dezember 1856 in Staunton, Virginia, USA; † 3. Februar 1924 in Washington, D. C.) war der 28. Präsident der Vereinigten Staaten von Amerika …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Woodrow Wilson — (1912) Thomas Woodrow Wilson (* 28. Dezember 1856 in Staunton …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Woodrow Wilson — Woodrow Wilson …   Wikipedia Español

  • Friedensnobelpreis 1919: Thomas Woodrow Wilson —   Der amerikanische Präsident erhielt den Friedensnobelpreis für seine Verdienste um die Beendigung des Ersten Weltkriegs und die Gründung des Völkerbunds.    Biografie   Thomas Woodrow Wilson, * Staunton (Virginia) 28. 12. 1856, ✝ Washington D.C …   Universal-Lexikon

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