“I view it as a thoroughly bad peace – impolitic and impracticable in the case of Germany, absolutely ludicrous in the case of German Austria. Indeed I have not been able to read the comments of the Austrian delegates on our draft terms without deep emotion. I have fought this Peace from the inside with all my power, and have no doubt been able in the end to secure some small openings of hope for the future.”

—  Jan Smuts

Smuts to C. P. Scott on the Treaty of Versailles, 26 June 1919, as cited in Antony Lentin, 2010, Jan Smuts – Man of courage and vision, p. xvi. ISBN 978-1-86842-390-3

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military leader, politician and statesman from South Africa 1870–1950

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