Failure to Prevent World War I

Hall Gardner is Professor and Chair of International and Comparative Politics at the American University of Paris. He received his PhD in 1987 at the Johns Hopkins Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS), Washington DC. He is a member of the World Association of International Studies, Stanford University and is on the Advisory Boards of the New Policy Forum (Mikhail Gorbachev); Cicero Foundation: Paris/ Maastricht; Journal, Géostratégiques; Online Bibliography, Oxford University Press.

• Introduction; Chapter 1 The “Insecurity-Security Dialectic” and the Unexpected Armageddon; Chapter 2 Origins of the Franco-Prussian War; Chapter 3 Global Consequences of the Franco-Prussian War; Chapter 4 French Calls for Revanche and Bismarck’s Nightmare of Coalitions; Chapter 5 British Intervention in Egypt and the Threat of a Continental Alliance; Chapter 6 Bismarck’s Strategy and Anglo-German Alliance Talks; Chapter 7 The Failure of Caprivi’s New Course; Chapter 8 1894: Year of Anglo-German Alienation; Chapter 9 Fissures within the Continental Alliance; Chapter 10 The Failure of Anglo-German Alliance Talks; Chapter 11 Britain’s Quest for New Allies; Chapter 12 The Anglo-German Détente and Eurasian Conflicts; Chapter 13 The Question of Alsace-Lorraine; Chapter 14 Stumbling into Armageddon; Chapter 15 Conclusions;

’Hall Gardner delivers a tour de force in his latest geo-political book. Gardner meticulously uncovers the political ambiguities and diplomatic jockeying for Continental hegemonic dominance through 45 years of evolution and collapse of the European Balance of Power system. This comprehensive study explores this transitional period from its apogée in 1870 under Germany’s masterful statesman Otto von Bismarck to the eroding impacts of German diplomatic miscalculations, Franco-Russian military intrigues since 1894 and the diplomatico-military Franco-Russo-British Entente since 1903-07, which finally cornered Germany’s hegemony and Triple Alliance.’ Marco Rimanelli, College of Europe - Bruges, Belgium and Saint Leo University, Florida, USA ’Gardner's careful untangling of the Great Powers' century-long diplomatic chess game shows how accidental the Triple Alliance-Triple Entente disjunction actually was. Of especial interest is how close Britain and Germany came to becoming allies on several occasions prior to 1907, even as Berlin embarked on the naval arms race. As fascinating as any alternate history narrative, Gardner's work should debunk many of the shibboleths of Fritz Fischer's "German aggression" thesis.’ John Eipper, President, World Association of International Studies (WAIS) '... absolutely fascinating and highly informative ... No doubt the research is both deep and intensive. I would highly recommend the book to all who have a grasp of history and its lengthy influence to our current age. I will purchase the book and urge many in my World War I Historical Association (of which I am president) to do so as well.' Sal Compagno, President of the World War I Historical Association