Supreme War Council facts for kids

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This page is about the Allied central command during World War I. For other uses, see Supreme War Council (disambiguation).

The Supreme War Council was an important group during World War I. It was based in Versailles, France. This council helped coordinate the military plans for the main Allied countries. These included Britain, France, Italy, the United States, and Japan.

The council started in 1917 after the Russian Revolution. Russia was about to leave the war, so the Allies needed a new way to work together. The Supreme War Council gave advice to civilian leaders. It also helped discuss ideas for ending the war and later for peace treaties. After the war, the Conference of Ambassadors took over its role in 1920.

How the Council Was Formed
- Key Military Representatives
Council Meetings During the War
Council Meetings After the War
- January 1920 Meeting in Paris
- July 1920 Meeting in Spa, Belgium
See also

How the Council Was Formed

British Prime Minister David Lloyd George was worried about the war strategy. British forces had suffered huge losses at the Somme and Flanders. He felt that the military leaders, Sir William Robertson and Sir Douglas Haig, needed new ideas.

Then, Italy faced a big defeat at the Battle of Caporetto. German and Austro-Hungarian forces surprised them. Because of this, Lloyd George suggested creating the Supreme War Council. This happened at the Rapallo Conference in Italy, from November 5 to 7, 1917.

Some countries were not included at first. Japan and Russia were left out. Italy and France wanted the council to focus mainly on the Western Front.

Key Military Representatives

Each Allied country sent its head of government to the council meetings. They also sent a senior military officer. These officers were called Permanent Military Representatives (PMRs).

Ferdinand Foch was the French PMR, later replaced by Maxime Weygand and Joseph Joffre.
Sir Henry Hughes Wilson represented Britain.
Luigi Cadorna represented Italy.
The United States was an "Associated Power," not a full Ally. But they still sent General Tasker H. Bliss as their PMR.

General Wilson and his team worked on many plans. They even researched attacks against Turkey.

Council Meetings During the War

The military council met about once a week. But the main conferences, with Prime Ministers attending, happened ten times. These important meetings are listed below.

First Meeting: November 1917

The idea for the Supreme War Council was approved at the Rapallo Conference. This meeting took place in Rapallo, Italy. The British suggested the idea, and the French accepted it. The British War Cabinet approved it on November 2, 1917. They also decided the council's headquarters would be in Versailles.

Second Meeting: November to December 1917

The first big conference in France happened in Paris and Versailles. This was the first time Georges Clemenceau attended as Prime Minister of France. He had just taken office.

The four main leaders present were:

Georges Clemenceau (France)
David Lloyd George (Britain)
Vittorio Orlando (Italy)
Colonel Edward House (representing President Woodrow Wilson of the US)

Their military representatives were also there:

The conference ended with eight important decisions.

Third Meeting: January to February 1918

This conference was held at Versailles. The council agreed on a defensive plan for the Western Front for 1918. This was because German troops were moving from the Eastern Front. Also, US troops would not arrive in large numbers until later. They also planned an attack against Turkey.

During this meeting, there was a lot of disagreement among the military leaders. Lloyd George wanted to stop a plan for a joint Allied General Reserve. This reserve would have been controlled by national Chiefs of Staff. Instead, it was agreed that Ferdinand Foch would command the Reserve. General Wilson would be his deputy.

Later, British General William Robertson resisted the General Reserve plan. He was replaced by Wilson. But even then, the plan faced problems. British Commander Douglas Haig also refused to follow the order. The General Reserve plan was eventually stopped.

Fourth Meeting: March 1918

This conference took place in London. The General Reserve plan was officially cancelled. It was too late to move troops, as a big German attack was only eight days away. This caused a lot of debate.

Without a General Reserve, the Allies had to rely on a verbal agreement. Field Marshal Haig and General Philippe Petain promised to support each other. The council also released a statement about the "peace" treaty between Germany and Russia.

After this meeting, Ferdinand Foch became the Allied Generalissimo (supreme commander) on March 26, 1918. All Allied troops on the Western Front were then placed under his command.

Fifth Meeting: May 1918

This conference was held in Versailles and Abbeville, France. It happened after major German attacks in March and April. The main topic was the urgent need to send American troops to the Western Front faster.

The military generals asked the United States to send only infantry and machine gun units. This was because they needed battlefield replacements quickly. General Pershing agreed to this plan for a month at a time. The final agreement extended it for two months.

A secret meeting also took place to discuss what the British Expeditionary Force (B.E.F.) should do if the Germans pushed them towards the Channel Ports. Should they retreat to England or move south to join the French? General Foch insisted they should "Cling Everywhere" and not retreat. It was decided that the British should move south to stay connected with the French.

Sixth Meeting: June 1918

This conference took place in Versailles. It happened during another German offensive. The United States was asked for even more reinforcements. They also discussed combining US troops with British forces and sharing Allied supplies.

There was a lot of worry at this meeting. French and British divisions were losing many soldiers. The Prime Ministers wrote to President Wilson. They said there was a "great danger of the war being lost." They asked the United States to raise a huge army of 4 million men.

General Pershing also sent a message to Washington D.C. He said, "the time has come for us to take up the brunt of the war." He noted that France and England could not keep their armies strong much longer.

Seventh Meeting: July 1918

This conference was held at Versailles. Prime Ministers from British Dominions like Canada, Australia, and New Zealand also attended. This was a difficult meeting. Lloyd George was unhappy with the French for directing the war. The French were upset with Lloyd George's plan to reduce British forces on the front.

General Foch wanted Britain to keep its strength at 59 divisions. He also wanted to create a sixtieth division. But Lloyd George said Britain did not have enough men for this.

Eighth Meeting: October to November 1918

This was the longest conference of the Supreme War Council. It took place in Versailles. Here, the terms for the armistice (agreement to stop fighting) were written. These terms were for the Ottoman Empire, Austria-Hungary, and Germany.

Council Meetings After the War

During the Paris Peace Negotiations in 1919, the Supreme War Council changed. It became the "Council of Ten" in January. Then, in March, it became the "Council of Four". The "Big Four" included President Wilson, and Prime Ministers Lloyd George, Clemenceau, and Orlando. These four leaders did most of the work to create the Treaty of Versailles. As the host, Prime Minister Georges Clemenceau led these meetings.

January 1920 Meeting in Paris

This meeting happened four days after the Treaty of Versailles was officially approved. Lloyd George suggested ending the blockade of Russia. He wanted to start talks with the "Russian people." This was agreed upon.

July 1920 Meeting in Spa, Belgium

German representatives attended this meeting. They discussed war reparations, which were payments for war damages.