<P> Reaction in Italy to the treaty was extremely negative . The country had suffered high casualties, yet failed to achieve most of its major war goals, notably gaining control of the Dalmatian coast and Fiume . President Wilson rejected Italy's claims on the basis of "national self - determination ." For their part, Britain and France--who had been forced in the war's latter stages to divert their own troops to the Italian front to stave off collapse--were disinclined to support Italy's position at the peace conference . Differences in negotiating strategy between Premier Vittorio Orlando and Foreign Minister Sidney Sonnino further undermined Italy's position at the conference . A furious Vittorio Orlando suffered a nervous collapse and at one point walked out of the conference (though he later returned). He lost his position as prime minister just a week before the treaty was scheduled to be signed, effectively ending his active political career . Anger and dismay over the treaty's provisions helped pave the way for the establishment of Benito Mussolini's dictatorship three years later . </P> <P> Portugal entered the war on the Allied side in 1916 primarily to ensure the security of its African colonies, which were threatened with seizure by both Britain and Germany . To this extent, she succeeded in her war aims . The treaty recognized Portuguese sovereignty over these areas and awarded her small portions of Germany's bordering overseas colonies . Otherwise, however, Portugal obtained little at the peace conference . Her promised share of German reparations never materialized, and a seat she coveted on the executive council of the new League of Nations went instead to Spain--which had remained neutral in the war . In the end, Portugal ratified the treaty, but got little out of the war, which cost more than 8,000 Portuguese troops and as many as 100,000 of her African colonial subjects their lives . </P> <P> After the Versailles conference, Democratic President Woodrow Wilson claimed that "at last the world knows America as the savior of the world!" However, the Republican Party, led by Henry Cabot Lodge, controlled the US Senate after the election of 1918, and the senators were divided into multiple positions on the Versailles question . It proved possible to build a majority coalition, but impossible to build a two - thirds coalition that was needed to pass a treaty . </P> <P> A discontent bloc of 12--18 "Irreconcilables", mostly Republicans but also representatives of the Irish and German Democrats, fiercely opposed the treaty . One block of Democrats strongly supported the Versailles Treaty, even with reservations added by Lodge . A second group of Democrats supported the treaty but followed Wilson in opposing any amendments or reservations . The largest bloc, led by Senator Lodge, comprised a majority of the Republicans . They wanted a treaty with reservations, especially on Article 10, which involved the power of the League of Nations to make war without a vote by the US Congress . All of the Irreconcilables were bitter enemies of President Wilson, and he launched a nationwide speaking tour in the summer of 1919 to refute them . However, Wilson collapsed midway with a serious stroke that effectively ruined his leadership skills . </P>

Which president suffered a major defeat when the senate refused to ratify the versailles treaty