After the first world war there was a peace conference in Versailles. The French Minister of Commerce and Industry, Etienne Clémentel, proposed a "new economic order" based on European cooperation. America opposed it and Britain failed to support it. It was rejected. Jean Monnet, a young assistant to Etienne Clémental recognised the potential of that vision and saw the consequences of its rejection. During the next 20 years, the harsh injustices and short sightedness of the Versaille Treaty helped the rise of fascism in Germany, Spain, Portugal and Italy, and the rise of communism in Russia. Europe was then subjected to its worst ever period of mass slaughter, genocide and destruction. Jean Monnet played an important role in co-ordinating allied efforts to defeat fascism.