DAVID LLOYD GEORGE (U.K.)
When Lloyd George began his political career more than a quarter century ago, he could scarcely have imagined he’d end up leading his country in the bloodiest war in history.
The noted orator and statesman started his parliamentary life as an opponent of war and British imperialism. But once he entered the inner circles of politics, it seems his nationalistic spirit superseded his pacifist ways.
Lloyd George started his cabinet career as president of the board of trade in Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman’s government in 1905, and focused on reforming Britain’s welfare system. He served as chancellor of the exchequer under Herbert Asquith, and in that role made his famous Mansion House speech warning Germany about stepping on British toes overseas.
A year after the Great War broke out, Lloyd George became minister of munitions, and a year after that he formed a coalition government of his own and ousted Asquith. The change of power saw significant changes to the British government, including the creation of a war cabinet and a push to unify the military command under – some would say surprisingly – France’s Ferdinand Foch.
Lloyd George is now hip-deep in campaigning for next month’s general election. Early indications are that Britain may well face another coalition government, consisting of Conservatives and Lloyd George’s Liberals.
WOODROW WILSON (U.S.A.)
The Virginia-born Wilson is one of the few statesmen to have led his country through the entire Great War.
Wilson was a life-long academic until he entered politics just eight years ago. He taught politics at some of America’s leading universities, and became president of Princeton University in 1902.
In 1910 he was persuaded to enter political life, and handily won the New Jersey gubernatorial race. His popularity as governor was a springboard to his 1912 candidacy for president, which he won in a landslide over rivals Teddy Roosevelt and William H. Taft.
Wilson was a reluctant warrior, however, and fought hard to preserve the concept of American neutrality after the Great War erupted four years ago.
Unrestricted submarine warfare sorely tested his patience, however, and the 1915 sinking of the liner Lusitania – which claimed the lives of more than 100 Americans – hurt German-American relations.
Still, his 1916 presidential campaign was based largely on his Democratic Party platform of neutrality (the party slogan was "He kept us out of the war), and it narrowly won him re-election over Charles Evans Hughes.
Germany’s resumption of unrestricted warfare on the seas, coupled with the now-infamous Zimmerman Telegram scandal, pushed America over the edge and Wilson asked Congress to declare war in April 1917.
America’s entry into the war, though late, has helped turn the tide in Europe, and Wilson is now working feverishly on plans for a post-war settlement based on the concept of an association of states that would act in concert if any other nation sought war.
Earlier this year he outlined his "Fourteen Points" plan for the world after the war, which many in Washington and Europe’s capitals believe will form the basis of a peace plan.
ROBERT BORDEN (CANADA)
By the time Robert Borden took the reins as Canada’s Prime Minister, he was already a known quantity in the worlds of politics and law.
From relatively humble beginnings in Grand Pre, Nova Scotia, Borden spent his early professional life teaching before moving into the more lucrative and power-heavy world of politics. Known for his keen mind concerning constitutional law, Borden entered politics in 1896 and just five years later assumed leadership of the Conservatives. For most of the first decade of the 20th century, he was parliamentary foil to Sir Wilfrid Laurier and his Liberal Party.
In 1911, Borden’s Tories defeated the Liberals, running largely on a platform opposed to reciprocity with the United States – a position he held even before entering political life — as well as a policy to keep Canada’s naval forces within the British fold.
As wartime PM, he initiated the War Measures Act at the beginning of hostilities and pledged staunch Canadian support to the Empire. That promise, however, proved to be problematic as the war dragged on.
Canada was to provide upwards of 500,000 soldiers to the cause, but lines of volunteers got shorter and shorter after 1915. Conscription was the solution Borden’s government proffered, and it plunged Canada into the Conscription Crisis last year, dividing Canadians’ loyalties between French and English.
The crisis forced Borden and his Conservatives to recruit members of the opposition Liberals in last year’s election; without their support (which led to a Unionist ticket) Borden likely would have been defeated.
Now, with his coalition intact, Borden will head into the post-war period with an invigorated country that many in Ottawa see as ready to assume its place on the world stage, as an independent member of the Commonwealth.
KAISER WILHELM II (GERMANY)
A product of Victorian and Prussian culture, Wilhelm II was both a figurehead and driving force behind Germany’s participation in the Great War.
The Kaiser’s childhood was steeped in the military traditions of Prussia, and in later life he was seldom seen out of uniform. As he matured and grew into his royal position, he broke ranks with the legendary German Chancellor Otto von Bismarck and in 1890 forced the Iron Chancellor to resign.
Wilhelm’s primary interest was foreign affairs and his desire to see Germany ranked among the world’s foremost powers contributed to the path to war. He expanded Germany’s overseas empire and grew its navy substantially, setting the country up as a counter-balance to France and Great Britain. His alliance with Austria-Hungary set in motion a series of mobilizations following the assassination of Franz Ferdinand in 1914, which sparked the Great War.
The Kaiser’s influence during the war years waned, however, giving way to more militarily influential figures like Paul von Hindenburg and Erich Ludendorff. Uprisings – some of them spurred by Bolsheviks – over the past few months eventually forced Wilhelm from power. He abdicated on Nov. 9, handing over his remaining powers to Prince Max of Baden. He then fled Germany altogether.
After his escape – and perhaps long exile — to Holland this past week, Wilhelm seems destined to be the last of the Hohenzollern royal family to hold real power.
GEORGES CLEMENCEAU (FRANCE)
Clemenceau has led France for little more than a year, but in that short time it’s apparent how he earned his moniker "The Tiger." After taking over from Paul Painleve as premier last year, Clemenceau forged a coalition and also assumed a minister of war role. After fighting the concept of defeatism – which permeated French political and military ranks for many months – he revived French morale and backed the concept of a unified command.
The result? Major successes in the past few months that have pushed Germany and her allies to the brink.
Those who know Clemenceau are not surprised at his sheer will to effect change. The 77-year-old has worn many hats in his life, including physician, teacher and journalist. He has been a socialist, a staunch Republican, has been embroiled in many political scandals, such as the Panama Canal scandal of the late 19th century, and strongly defended Alfred Dreyfus during L’Affaire Dreyfus.
His first stint as premier lasted three years, and was marked by both a crisis in Morocco and a strengthening of ties to Great Britain. Even when out of power, he used his newspaper to fight for French pride, and now pushes for a hard line against Germany in the upcoming peace talks.
VITTORIO EMANUELE ORLANDO (ITALY)
Italy’s Prime Minister for the last year, Orlando has been a fixture in Italy’s government for almost two decades. His tenure within the Italian cabinet started in 1903, as minister of education, and since then he’s held posts as both minister of justice and minister of the interior. But the disaster last year at Caporetto vaulted Orlando into the Prime Minister’s office after the military debacle forced the end of Paolo Boselli’s government.
Pundits point to Orlando’s steady hand as a major reason the country reversed its military fortune over the past year, culminating with the recent triumph of the Battle of Vittorio Veneto and the collapse of Austria-Hungary.
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