President Wilson, on January 8, 1918, delivered what would become his best-known speech. It would later be known as the Fourteen Point Speech because it defined the fourteen components that Wilson believed were vital to a peaceful America. Furthermore, it was designed to establish America's moral goals for their involvement in the Great War. Wilson also wanted the speech to inspire the Central Powers to end the major conflicts of the time. His idea initially failed because, instead of signaling the end of the world conflicts, the German army actually intensified its efforts on the Western European front. But in the end, the German army agreed and appealed to Wilson to initiate a series of friendship discussions based on Wilson's Fourteen Points. For this reason, a peace agreement was proclaimed on November 11, 1918. Of the fourteen main points Wilson outlined in his speech, eight addressed specific issues that could only be resolved after the Great War. The other six assigned with mandatory common dogma for peacetime. The most important of his progressive ideas concerned the sovereignty of the seas, the conclusion of undisclosed treaties and discussions, the establishment of fair and open trade, the reduction of arms, the reception of the new Soviet Russia into the global community, the granting of autonomy to the peoples of Central Europe. and the Balkans, the liberation of Turkey and Poland, and the formation of a forum of countries to secure freedom and friendship not only for the American people, but for the people of the world. Wilson's Fourteen Point Speech illustrated his progressive ideals because it (like him) promoted progress toward better conditions and/or new ideas. Wilson's Fourteen Points were progressive because they could have... a paper medium... an element, which failed to satisfy any of the countries involved. The final terms of the truce, which included little or none of Wilson's Fourteen Points upon which Germany had initially agreed to a ceasefire, were relentless and in the long run played a vital role in "setting the stage" for World War II. The dots may be America's greatest "could have been." Although most of his ideas didn't work, and the ones that did work were eventually crippled, it still led to the armistice that would finally end the First World War. Furthermore, most of Wilson's points in his speech pointed to progressive ideals while striving to do so. not just create a better America, but a better world. Although Wilson's goals were ideal for lasting peace, the stubbornness of world leaders and their hatred of post-war Germany made the Fourteen Point Speech useless..