The transatlantic basis of war and peace, 1914-1917

The following paper is a review essay of Daniel Larsen's Plotting for Peace. It begins with a brief overview of the book, which highlights its seminal insights on the financial quandaries of the Anglo-American international trade relationship during the First World War, and their galvanising effect on British strategy and American peace mediation symbolised by the House-Grey memorandum. It then traces the wide-ranging historiographical significance of Larsen's placement of British strategy in the context of the balance of payments. Finally, the review offers some general criticisms of the book. In particular, the shortcomings of its American diplomatic and political history.