What was the main failure of the Genoa Conference?

The primary failure of the Genoa Conference, which took place in 1922, is best understood in the context of the challenges that Europe faced after World War I, especially regarding Franco-German relations. The conference aimed to address various economic and political issues in Europe, including reparations and debts, but it fell short of effectively mitigating the longstanding hostility between France and Germany.

Despite attempts to create a dialogue and promote cooperation, the underlying tensions and mutual distrust between France and Germany remained unresolved. France's insistence on maintaining strict reparations from Germany, combined with Germany's desire to recover economically and reclaim its sovereignty, created an impasse that the conference failed to bridge.

While the conference did address other issues, such as economic stability and discussions on international loans, the inability to effectively tackle Franco-German animosities left the conference with a significant shortcoming in fulfilling one of its primary objectives. Thus, this aspect is crucial in understanding why the conference is often seen as a failure in resolving one of Europe's most contentious relationships at the time.