State Historical Society of Iowa

"League of Nations" Speech by Henry Cabot Lodge, 1919

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Courtesy of Library of Congress, Lodge, Henry Cabot, "League of Nations," 1919

Description 

This recorded speech is by Henry Cabot Lodge, a U.S. congressman from Massachusetts. In the speech, Lodge voices his opposition to joining the League of Nations.

Transcript of Henry Cabot Lodge's "League of Nations" Speech

Source-Dependent Questions

  • What role did Henry Cabot Lodge state America should play in world affairs with his "America First" argument?
  • According to Lodge, how would involvement in the League of Nations weaken America? How was this position supported or contradicted by the rationale for America’s involvement in World War I?

Citation Information

Lodge, Henry Cabot, "League of Nations," 1919. Courtesy of Library of Congress