My Three Years in America

Raised in the political atmosphere of the German Embassy in London, Johann Heinrich Bernstorff brings a diplomat's perspective to relations between Germany and the United States during the First World War. His account opens by explaining his belief in parliamentary government and friendly ties with Britain and America. He then examines the foreign policy choices that, in his view, made Germany's position increasingly difficult.

The book combines personal political argument with reports and diplomatic correspondence. A Washington dispatch from December 1915 weighs President Wilson's intentions, possible action by Congress, and the challenge of resolving the Lusitania dispute without a break in relations. Chapters also address propaganda, economic questions, mediation, and Bernstorff's return home. For readers interested in wartime diplomacy, the appeal lies in seeing how an involved official describes public opinion, negotiation, and the limits of his influence, while defending his own understanding of events.