Under the Wire: How the Telegraph Changed Diplomacy

Case studies in crisis diplomacy--the War of 1812, the Trent affair during the U.S. Civil War, and the famous 1917 Zimmermann telegram--introduce wide-ranging thematic discussions on the autonomy of diplomats; the effects of increased speed on decision making and public opinion; the neglected role of clerks in diplomacy; and the issues of expense, garbled text, espionage, and technophobia that initially made foreign ministries wary of telegraphy. Ultimately, the introduction of the telegraph contributed to the centralization of foreign ministries and the rising importance of signals intelligence. The faster pace of diplomatic disputes invited more emotional decisions by statesmen, while public opinion often exercised a belligerent influence on crises developing over a shorter time period.

Under the Wire offers a fascinating new perspective on the culture of diplomacy and the social history of technology.

Introduction

I. Control
1. The Anglo-American Crisis of 1812
2. Diplomatic Autonomy and Telecommunications

II. Speed
3. The Trent Affair
4. Speed and Diplomacy
5. Diplomatic Time

III. The Medium
6. The Zimmermann Telegram
7. Technical and Economic Factors

Conclusion

Abbreviations
Notes
Acknowledgments
Index