A World Restored: Metternich, Castlereagh, and the Problems of Peace, 1812-22
About this ebook
After the fall of Napoleon, European diplomats gathered in a festive Vienna with the task of restoring stability following the French Revolution, the Napoleonic Wars, and the dissolution of the Holy Roman Empire. The central figures at the Congress of Vienna were the Foreign Secretary of the United Kingdom, Viscount Castlereagh and the Foreign Minister of Austria Klemens Wenzel von Mettern Metternich. Castlereagh was primarily concerned with maintaining balanced powers, while Metternich based his diplomacy on the idea of legitimacy—that is, establishing and working with governments that citizens accept without force. The peace they brokered lasted until the outbreak of World War I.
Through trenchant analysis of the history and forces that create stability, A World Restored gives insight into how to create long-lasting geopolitical peace-lessons that Kissinger saw as applicable to the period immediately following World War II, when he was writing this book.
But the lessons don’t stop there. Like all good insights, the book’s wisdom transcends any single political period. Kissinger’s understanding of coalitions and balance of power can be applied to personal and professional situations, such as dealing with a tyrannical boss or co-worker or formulating business or organizational tactics.
Regardless of his ideology, Henry Kissinger has had an important impact on modern politics and few would dispute his brilliance as a strategist. For anyone interested in Western history, the tactics of diplomacy, or political strategy, this volume will provide deep understanding of a pivotal time.
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About the author
Henry Alfred Kissinger (born Heinz Alfred Kissinger; May 27, 1923) is an American diplomat and political scientist. He served as National Security Advisor and later concurrently as United States Secretary of State in the administrations of presidents Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford. For his actions negotiating an unsuccessful ceasefire in Vietnam, Kissinger received the 1973 Nobel Peace Prize. After his term, his advice has been sought by world leaders including subsequent U.S. presidents.
A proponent of Realpolitik, Kissinger played a prominent role in United States foreign policy between 1969 and 1977. During this period, he pioneered the policy of détente with the Soviet Union, orchestrated the opening of relations with the People’s Republic of China, and negotiated the Paris Peace Accords, ending American involvement in the Vietnam War. Kissinger’s Realpolitik resulted in controversial policies such as CIA involvement in Chile and U.S. support for Pakistan, despite its genocidal actions during the Bangladesh War.
He is the founder and chairman of Kissinger Associates, an international consulting firm. He has been a prolific author of books on politics and international relations, including Nuclear Weapons and Foreign Policy (1957); The Necessity for Choice: Prospects of American Foreign Policy (1961); The Troubled Partnership: A Re-Appraisal of the Atlantic Alliance (1965); For the Record: Selected Statements 1977-1980 (1981) and Observations: Selected Speeches and Essays 1982-1984 (1985). He has also published three memoirs: The White House Years (1979); Years of Upheaval (1982); and Years of Renewal (1999).
