Founding of the League of Nations
Delegates from multiple nations gather in the grand hall of the Palais des Nations to officially establish the League of Nations, signing the Covenant and marking a historic attempt to prevent future
Setting
Grand Hall of the Palais des Nations, Paris, France. The hall is adorned with high ceilings, ornate chandeliers, and large windows that let in the winter light. Delegates from various nations are seated in rows, facing a raised podium where the signing ceremony is taking place.
Characters
Woodrow Wilson
primary
A tall, lean man in his early 60s with sharp, angular features, a high forehead, and piercing gray-blue eyes. His face is clean-shaven, with deep lines around his mouth and eyes, reflecting years of stress and responsibility. His posture is upright, though slightly stiff due to lingering health issues.
Georges Clemenceau
primary
A wiry, middle-aged man with a sharp, angular face and piercing dark eyes. His neatly trimmed mustache and beard frame thin lips often pressed into a firm line. Despite his age, he carries himself with the vigor of a much younger man, his posture upright and his movements precise.
David Lloyd George
secondary
A middle-aged Welshman of average height with a wiry build, sharp features, and piercing blue eyes. His thick, wavy hair is graying at the temples, and he sports a neatly trimmed mustache. His posture suggests both confidence and weariness from prolonged negotiations.
French Delegate
secondary
A middle-aged man with a slender yet dignified build, standing at an average height. His sharp facial features are accentuated by a well-groomed mustache and piercing dark eyes. His posture is erect, exuding an air of quiet authority and professionalism.
British Secretary
background
A middle-aged man of slender build with neatly combed dark brown hair and a clean-shaven face. His wire-rimmed spectacles rest on a slightly pointed nose, and his sharp blue eyes dart between his notes and the proceedings.
Dialog
Woodrow Wilson
The League of Nations stands as our solemn covenant—not merely to end this war, but to ensure that no such catastrophe shall darken the world again. Let us pledge ourselves to this higher purpose.
Georges Clemenceau
Higher purposes do not feed starving children, Monsieur President. France requires guarantees—ironclad, not ethereal.
David Lloyd George
Now look here—our continental friends have legitimate concerns, but must we let old wounds dictate new institutions? The League can be both shield and scalpel, if wisely wielded.
Woodrow Wilson
A scalpel implies dissection, Prime Minister. I propose not dissection, but healing—binding nations together through shared principles, not merely shared fears.
Georges Clemenceau
Principles did not stop the shells at Verdun. Will they stop the next army?
David Lloyd George
Gentlemen, let us not mistake vigilance for vengeance. The League must have teeth—but teeth need not bite before they’re bared.