Wilsonian ideals of "self-determination" generated great enthusiasm around the world. But few of Wilson's 14 points were upheld in the Treaty of Versailles, other than the creation of the League of Nations. Pressure from European diplomats led to their modification or rejection in Europe, and their is little evidence that Wilson seriously tried to uphold them beyond Europe.

Some of the direct and indirect results of the Treaty:

• Germany blamed for the war, excluded from the League, and forced to pay large indemnity. This may have played an important role in failure of Weimar republic and rise of Hitler.
• East Europe: Austria Hungary broken up, and borders for new nations created with little regard for ethnic nationalities.
• Korea: Tried to send delegation to press for greater autonomy, but delegates prohibited to travel, or ignored.
• Egypt: Wilson recognized British protectorate. March 9 protests against Britain ("1919 Revolution") led to bloodshed.
• India: Promises of greater self-rule as reward for participation in WWI were not upheld. April 13 massacre of protestors at Armistar led to Gandhi's passive resitance movement.
• China: German concessions handed over to Japan. Resulting protests were start of the "May 4th Movement" which promoted widespread cultural reform.
• Japan: Attempt to insert a racial equality clause into League preamble was blocked, largely because white settler nations felt it would be used to undermine discriminatory immigration laws.
• Mandates. Colonial and national territories under German and Ottoman rule were transformed into "mandates" to be ruled by European powers under the supervision of the League of nations. Article 22 of the League of Nations Covenant stated: "To those colonies and territories which as a consequence of the late war have ceased to be under the sovereignty of the States which formerly governed them and which are inhabited by peoples not yet able to stand by themselves under the strenuous conditions of the modern world, there should be applied the principle that the well-being and development of such peoples form a sacred trust of civilization and that securities for the formance of this trust should be embodied in this Covenant. The best method of giving practical effect to this principle is that the tutelage of such peoples should be entrusted to advanced nations who by reason of their resources, their experience or their geographical position can best undertake this responsibility, and who are willing to accept it, and that this tutelage should be exercised by them as Mandatories on behalf of the League."
• United States did not join the League of Nations, and rejected many of the burdens of global leadership that its economic and political power should have entailed.

1919 led to the global spread of nationalism in a positive and negative way: Postitive because of the appeal of "self-determination." Negative because of the great bitternessand disillusionment with the great powers and the resulting conviction that independence (perhaps to the point of extreme autonomy and refusal to cooperate) was the only way to resist oppression.