Strategy and Diplomacy, 1870-1945

In this concise and illuminating study, Paul M. Kennedy examines the interplay between military power, grand strategy, and diplomacy from the age of Bismarck to the end of the Second World War. Focusing on the major European powers, as well as the United States and Japan, he explores how statesmen and military planners sought to balance resources, alliances, and strategic commitments in an era marked by rapid industrialization and global rivalry. Kennedy analyzes key decisions and miscalculations that shaped both world wars, highlighting the constant tension between political objectives and military means. Written by the distinguished historian later renowned for *The Rise and Fall of the Great Powers*, this work reflects Kennedy’s characteristic emphasis on the relationship between economic strength and strategic ambition.