In this masterful account, MacMillan chronicles the drama and complexity of the Paris Peace Conference, where figures such as Woodrow Wilson, David Lloyd George, and Georges Clemenceau wrestled with the immense task of rebuilding a shattered world. The book explores not only the high-level negotiations but also the throngs of lesser-known delegates, activists, and lobbyists—each with their own causes, from national self-determination to women’s rights. MacMillan details how the peacemakers redrew borders, dissolved empires, and attempted to balance the demands of justice, reparation, and stability. The creation of new nations, the sidelining of Russia, the alienation of China, and the unresolved questions of the Middle East all receive careful, nuanced treatment.

MacMillan challenges the prevailing view that the peacemakers failed utterly, arguing instead that they faced an impossible set of expectations and constraints. Their efforts to balance punishment and reconciliation, contain Bolshevism, and promote democracy were always fraught with contradiction. Through meticulous research and an engaging narrative, MacMillan reveals the human side of diplomacy—its ambitions, its blind spots, and its unintended consequences. The book’s prismatic approach shows how the seeds of later conflicts were sown, but also how the conference laid the foundations for international cooperation and the modern global order.