Woodrow Wilson
Led the United States through World War I and championed the creation of the League of Nations, though he suffered a debilitating stroke while advocating for its ratification
A former university president with an academic's belief in international cooperation, Wilson tried to reshape the entire postwar global order, only to see his own country reject the very organization he had championed.
From Academia to the Presidency
Wilson served as president of Princeton University before entering politics, bringing an academic's intellectual approach to his subsequent political career.
Leading Through World War I
Wilson initially sought to keep the United States neutral in World War I before ultimately leading the country into the conflict, significantly influencing its eventual outcome.
The League of Nations
Wilson championed the creation of the League of Nations, an early international organization intended to prevent future wars, as part of his postwar peace vision.
A Debilitating Stroke
Wilson suffered a severe stroke while campaigning for U.S. Senate ratification of the League of Nations treaty, and the United States ultimately never joined the organization he had championed.
