During a visit to London in mid-October 1917 by Mr. Franklin-Bouillon (a Minister without portfolio) and General Foch on behalf of the French Government - a visit undertaken to press the British to take over more of the Western Front - David Lloyd George (British Prime Minister) raised the question of establishing a permanent staff of military officers to study the war as a whole, instead of from the point of view of one particular army, and then advise the Allied Governments accordingly. This question was again discussed when French premier Painlevé visited two weeks later. Indeed, on 31st October, Lloyd George informed Henry Wilson that it had been decided to set up a Supreme War Council, and that he would be the Military Member for Britain. All that remained would be to obtain Italian and American approval to the scheme. A conference was hurriedly arranged, in Italy.

Rapallo is a small town 15 miles East of Genoa on the Ligurian coast of Italy.

Conference dates: 5th - 7th November 1917

In attendance:

At the Conference on 7th November 1917, all three Allies agreed to create a Supreme War Council, as a coordinating body with powers to ensure effective unity. The Fifth Session of the Conference was converted into the first session of the Council, which became popularly known as the Versailles Council. The first Military Representatives were Wilson (Great Britain), General Maxime Weygand (France), and Marshal Cadorna (Italy).