Diplomacy (Kissinger book)
| Company type | Book |
|---|---|
| Industry | Publishing |
| Founded | 1994 |
| Founder | Henry Kissinger |
| Products | Non-fiction book on diplomacy and international relations |
Diplomacy is a 1994 publication authored by Henry Kissinger, who formerly served as the United States National Security Advisor and Secretary of State.
Summary
This work offers an extensive overview of the history of international relations and diplomatic practice, concentrating primarily on the 20th century and Western nations. As an advocate of the realist perspective, Kissinger highlights the significance of the balance of power in pre-World War I Europe, alongside principles such as raison d'État and Realpolitik. He critiques diplomatic frameworks including the League of Nations' concept of collective security and the doctrine of self-determination. Additionally, Kissinger evaluates the Soviet Union’s post-World War II assertions of sphere of influence over Eastern and Southern Europe—an approach that continues to influence modern Russian foreign policy toward states like Ukraine and Georgia.
The narrative begins in 17th-century Europe and rapidly progresses through significant events like the World Wars and the Cold War. Kissinger incorporates insights drawn from his tenure under Presidents Nixon and Ford. The concluding argument advocates for a U.S. foreign policy after the Cold War that embraces a realpolitik strategy akin to European models rather than Wilsonian idealism, positing that American security is best served through pragmatic evaluation instead of idealistic ambitions. Nonetheless, he cautions that realpolitik should not be viewed as a universal remedy for all diplomatic issues.
The author dedicates this volume to personnel within the United States Foreign Service.
Praise
A review in the New York Times likened Diplomacy to Machiavelli's 'Discourses', anticipating it will be esteemed for its lasting insights.
Criticism
Historian Ernest R. May has challenged the book for inaccuracies in historical detail, particularly disputing Kissinger’s assertion that European diplomats were unfamiliar with the concept of self-determination prior to President Woodrow Wilson’s promotion of it.
Chapters
- The New World Order
- The Hinge: Theodore Roosevelt or Woodrow Wilson
- From Universality to Equilibrium: Richelieu, William of Orange, and Pitt
- The Concert of Europe: Great Britain, Austria, and Russia
- Two Revolutionaries: Napoleon III and Bismarck
- Realpolitik Turns on Itself
- A Political Doomsday Machine: European Diplomacy Before the First World War
- Into the Vortex: The Military Doomsday Machine
- The New Face of Diplomacy: Wilson and the Treaty of Versailles
- The Dilemmas of the Victors
- Stresemann and the Re-emergence of the Vanquished
- The End of Illusion: Hitler and the Destruction of Versailles
- Stalin's Bazaar
- The Nazi-Soviet Pact
- America Re-enters the Arena: Franklin Delano Roosevelt
- Three Approaches to Peace: Roosevelt, Stalin, and Churchill in World War II
- The Beginning of the Cold War
- The Success and the Pain of Containment
- The Dilemma of Containment: The Korean War
- Negotiating with the Communists: Adenauer, Churchill, and Eisenhower
- Leapfrogging Containment: The Suez Crisis
- Hungary: Upheaval in the Empire
- Khrushchev's Ultimatum: The Berlin Crisis 1958-63
- Concepts of Western Unity: Macmillan, de Gaulle, Eisenhower, and Kennedy
- Vietnam: Entry into the Morass; Truman and Eisenhower
- Vietnam: On the Road to Despair; Kennedy, and Johnson
- Vietnam: The Extrication; Nixon
- Foreign Policy as Geopolitics: Nixon's Triangular Diplomacy
- Détente and Its Discontents
- The End of the Cold War: Reagan and Gorbachev
- The New World Order Reconsidered
A deluxe edition bound in leather with gold embossing was released by the Easton Press, featuring Kissinger’s signature.
Additionally, Diplomacy makes a brief appearance in Muppet Treasure Island, where The Great Gonzo retrieves it from Billy Bones' sea chest.
References
- Kissinger, Henry. Diplomacy. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1994.