Plotting for Peace

American Peacemakers, British Codebreakers, and Britain at War, 1914-1917

Plotting for Peace
Daniel Larsen
RRP:
NZ$ 61.95
Our Price:
NZ$ 55.76
Hardback
Not defined - 400pg
31 Mar 2021 UK
International import eta 7-19 days
9781108486682
Out Of Stock
Currently no stock in-store, stock is sourced to your order
With Britain by late 1916 facing the prospect of an economic crisis and increasingly dependent on the US, rival factions in Asquith' s government battled over whether or not to seek a negotiated end to the First World War. In this riveting new account, Daniel Larsen tells the full story for the first time of how Asquith and his supporters secretly sought to end the war. He shows how they supported President Woodrow Wilson' s efforts to convene a peace conference and how British intelligence, clandestinely breaking American codes, aimed to sabotage these peace efforts and aided Asquith' s rivals. With Britain reading and decrypting all US diplomatic telegrams between Europe and Washington, these decrypts were used in a battle between the Treasury, which was terrified of looming financial catastrophe, and Lloyd George and the generals. This book' s findings transform our understanding of British strategy and international diplomacy during the war.
' This ground-breaking book transforms our understanding of British policy and American mediation during the First World War, incorporating the missing dimension of spies, codes and intelligence, together with new insights from economic history. It corrects many of the distortions in our current understanding of this crucial conflict. ' Richard J. Aldrich, author of GCHQ: The Uncensored Story of Britain' s Most Secret Intelligence Agency ' Dr Larsen challenges assumptions both about how to write international history and about the events of 1914-1917. Using the tools of political, diplomatic, economic and intelligence history, he analyses the failed American mediation attempts, and argues that long-held historical beliefs are entirely wrong. It is a very stimulating book. ' Kathleen Burk, author of The Lion and the Eagle: The Interaction of the British and American Empires 1783-1972 ' A bold reinterpretation of Britain and America in the Great War, probing anew whether the struggle had to be fought to a finish. It reconsiders Woodrow Wilson' s mediation efforts in 1914-17 and offers revisionist portraits of Asquith and Lloyd George. ' David Reynolds, author of Island Stories: Britain and its History in the Age of Brexit ' Daniel Larsen provides us with by far the best account of Anglo-American relations in the crucial months preceding America' s entry into the First World War. Challenging received interpretations, compellingly argued, and eloquently written, it blends finance and secret intelligence with diplomacy and high politics. ' David Stevenson, author of 1917: War, Peace, and Revolution
Daniel Larsen is College Lecturer in History at Trinity College, University of Cambridge.
Status: Active
ISBN-13: 9781108486682
Published: 31 Mar 2021
Published In: United Kingdom
Imprint: Cambridge University Press
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Format: Hardback
Pages: 400

In stock - for items in stock we aim to dispatch the next business day. For delivery in NZ allow 2-5 business days, with rural taking a wee bit longer.

Locally sourced in NZ - stock comes from a NZ supplier with an approximate delivery of 7-15 business days.

International Imports - stock is imported into NZ, depending on air or sea shipping option from the international supplier stock can take 10-30 working days to arrive into NZ. 

Pre-order Titles - delivery will vary depending on where the title is published, if local stock is available in NZ then 5-7 business days, for international imports it can be 10-30 business days. In all cases we will access the quickest supply option.

Delivery Packaging - we ship all items in cardboard sleeves or by box with either packing paper or corn starch chips. (We avoid using plastics bubble bags)

Tracking - Orders are delivered by track and trace courier and are fully insured, tracking information will be sent by email once dispatched.

View our full Order & Delivery information