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.

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