Forget 1939; Think 1914

One of the factors contributing to the utter failure of diplomacy in 1914 was the decay of previously functioning institutions in foreign and military affairs. The diplomatic regime that governed Europe from 1870 to 1914 had begun to unravel in the years leading up to World War One. These institutions had avoided a clash between great powers for half a century. There had been some near misses but, in the end, level heads prevailed, and tragedy was averted. This reliance on successful diplomacy bred a degree of complacency, even hubris, among Europe’s governing elites. Countries grew dangerously unafraid of war.