Face to Face with Kaiserism

Diplomatic encounters give James W. Gerard's account of imperial Germany its starting point. Writing in 1918 as a former American ambassador to the German court, he continues the narrative of his earlier book through his return to the United States. An exchange with the Kaiser at a New Year's reception in 1914 becomes evidence for Gerard's argument about political intrigue, relations with Japan and Mexico, and the widening conflict between Germany and America.

The account combines personal recollection with a forceful wartime criticism of autocratic rule. Gerard considers the Kaiser's ambitions, the influence of royal courts and the position of neutral countries. A later passage describes the peoples of Austria-Hungary and the unequal power they hold within the monarchy. Readers interested in diplomatic history will find an American envoy's perspective on World War I, with arguments shaped by his public effort to explain America's involvement.