The First World War and International Politics [Paperback]

The horrors of the First World War--trench warfare, human tragedy, and military blunders--are well known, yet the role of politicians and diplomats has strangely been neglected. Redressing this imbalance, David Stevenson focusses on the politics of the war: why the governments of the day resorted to violence in pursuit of their political objectives, why conflict expanded to a global level, the significance of the Russian Revolution, why it was impossible to achieve compromise, and why the eventual peace settlement took the troubled form that it did. Based on detailed research in recently opened archives, this book offers valuable insight into an important chapter of 20th-century international history.

A tour de force which traces each major thread in the complex tapestry of international politics....Stevenson is that rare individual who is able to synthesize all of the disparate factors of an era into an understandable narrative....[The book] is a significant addition to the body of historical work in this area for its ability to inform readers who are less than specialists in the field. --The Historian

An informative, insightful, and comprehensive analysis....Deserves to be a widely discussed work. --Diplomatic History

Building on his earlier studies of Allied war aims, Stevenson offers a densely packed examination of the interaction between diplomacy and war during the period of WWI. The focus of his work is on the evolution of war aims, both of the Allies and of the Central Powers....An excellent and thought-provoking study. --CHOICE

Stevenson's book fills a gap for those who wish a comprehensive, balanced assessment of the tragedy of 1914 and its aftermath....This is a superb contribution, one that sythesizes relevant research and puts it into a manageable whole. --American Historical Review