Final answer:
The initial Republican strategy regarding the Treaty of Versailles was to oppose it, mainly because of concerns over U.S. sovereignty and the responsibilities attached to joining the League of Nations, which could draw the nation into uncontrolled foreign disputes and undercut the Senate's war-declaring power.
Step-by-step explanation:
The initial Republican strategy regarding the Treaty of Versailles included opposition due to concerns over U.S. sovereignty and the fear of being drawn into international disputes. This concern focused heavily on the League of Nations, which was perceived as a threat to the Senate's constitutional power to declare war. Republicans and conservative Democrats were particularly worried that joining the League of Nations would force America into foreign conflicts without direct control. The Treaty of Versailles itself, despite including some of Wilson's ideas, resulted in harsh penalties for Germany and the creation of new nations, which various U.S. political groups found problematic for different reasons.
In the end, due to significant internal opposition, including from groups known as Irreconcilables and Reservationists, as well as the incapacitation of President Wilson, the United States did not ratify the Treaty of Versailles or join the League of Nations, returning instead to a policy of isolationism.