London Peace Conference (The General and the Flu)

The London Peace Conference was a meeting between authorities from the Allied Powers and the  Central Powers to set peace terms between the remaining beligerents after the surrender of Russia, France, Italy, Montenegro and Greece.

At the center of the proceedings were representants of the Allied Powers "Big Two" (the British Empire and the United States) and the Central Powers "Big Three" (the German Empire, Austria-Hungary and the Ottoman Empire). Representants of the anti-bolshevik Russia attended the conference in the hopes of getting aid from either the Allied or Central powers.

For fifteen days the powers of the world were held in a balance as a political settlement to the global conflict had to be reached. Failure to do so would force the war to continue indefinitely through the blockade of Europe and continued conflict in the Middle East.

Background
After the defeat of Russia in the East and France in the West, Germany held control of most of the European coastline stretching from the border of Spain to the border of Russia imposed by the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk. With the further capitulation of Italy, Montenegro and Greece the allied capability of striking the territories controlled by the Central Powers was reduced to the Middle East theatre.

In spite of the loss of Europe, allied naval superiority ensured the integrity of the United Kingdom and the blockade of Germany and remaining Central Powers. This powerful bargaining chip was a major contributing point to the Central Powers offering favourable peace terms to the remaining Allied Powers.

Despite the relative success of the Mesopotamian and Sinai-Palestine campaigns in the Middle East, the victory of the Central Powers in Europe meant that German and Austro-Hungarian forces could now be largely redeployed to aid the Ottoman Empire in it's struggle against British forces. The now lack of French support and the fact the United States were not at war with the Ottoman Empire further complicated things in the war effort.

Above all, the outbreak of the Spanish Flu all across the world weakened support for continued conflict and pressured all governments towards a peaceful resolution.

United States and British goals
The main goals of the United States and the British Empire were as follows:
 * End the occupation of France, Belgium and other former allied countries.
 * Settle for a monetary compensation of sunken allied merchant vessels due to unrestricted submarine warfare.
 * Reduce the scale of armed forces in Europe in the post-war.

Central Powers goals

 * End the blockade of Germany, Austria-Hungary and the Ottoman Empire.
 * Recogniztion of territorial cessions conceded by treaties between the Central Powers and other allied countries.
 * Removal of British forces from Ottoman territories as they were in 1914.
 * Monetary compensation for the naval blockade.