The four leaders – American President Wilson British Prime Minister Lloyd George, French Prime Minister Clemenseau and Orlando, the Prime Minister of Italy – entrusted with the responsibility of taking a decision had no identity of interests.

Woodrow Wilson, who headed the American delegation, had come to establish a long and durable peace based upon justice and neutrality. Wilson was an idealist who had two objectives before him. Establishment of League of Nations and acceptance of the principles of self- determination. Wilson’s idealism came into sharp conflict with materialism at the conference and in most cases materialism triumphed.

With his long experience and diplomatic abilities Clemenceau was the most influential leader not only in France but in the whole conference. In 1870, he had seen with his own eyes how Germany had inflicted a crushing defeat on France and nursed an ardent desire to take revenge on Germany. He hated idealism and did not consider himself bound by the fourteen points of Wilson.

Lloyd George had won the 1918 elections by propagating the feelings of revenge. He was a great diplomat and had three objectives – extirpation of Germany as a marine rival, to check the rise of Fance and a lion’s share in the booty.

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Orlando was not only a learned person but also a good orator and a skilled diplomat. He displeased Wilson by insisting on the fulfillment of the promises made in the secret alliances during the war and finally walked out of the conference after some time.

All of them were great leaders and had their own understanding of the situation. While Wilson wanted to establish a long and durable peace based upon justice and neutrality, Clemenceau and Orlando were keener to protect the territorial interests of France and Italy respectively.

They were not much bothered by the problem of world peace. Lloyd George was no doubt eager to establish international peace on the basis of truth and justice, but he was willing to do all this only if the interests of Great Britain were protected. Hence the proceedings of the conference were hindered by the conflicting approaches adopted by the personalities.