This collection of essays seeks to shed light on the situation in Europe immediately after the Great War. Although there are discussions of the Treaty of Versailles, Russia, the Ottoman Empire (and its breakup), Irish Home Rule, and even Prohibition, the bulk of this book deals with the issue of Reparations and War Debts. This is necessarily tied to the French invasion of the Ruhr, and the perceived short-sightedness of this move. M. Poincare and the French government generally come in for some harsh criticism by Lloyd George.

One can debate ad nauseum if the views and opinions expressed in this book are warranted, however, the value of this book lies in the the fact that these are the viewpoints of a highly placed British statesman who was integrally involved in the conduct of the Great War and the writing of the peace treaty and subsequent European settlement. ( )