Britain's official mind: Foreign policy decision-making under the Lloyd George coalition, 1918--192

This thesis examines the process through which foreign policy decisions were made and administered under the coalition government led by David Lloyd George from 1918 to 1922. It contends that there existed several tensions within the government over the direction and administration of foreign policy. Firstly there existed an ongoing struggle within the government between those seeking to maintain the centralization of function brought about by the war and those seeking to return to the decentralized process that had prevailed prior to 1914. In addition a very important division existed regarding the proper basis for British policy. On one hand were those advocating a policy of security through reparations from the defeated powers and direct increases in British strength. On the other were those who advocated attaining security through the international arena and the creation of a stable Europe, designed to head off the possibility of a future war.