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I have a burning need to know stuff and I love asking awkward questions.

Thursday, June 18, 2020


Just Finished Reading: Getting Our Way – 500 Years of Adventure and Intrigue: The Inside Story of British Diplomacy by Christopher Meyer (FP: 2009)

Told in rather florid style by the former ambassador to the US based in Washington (as he often references throughout the test) this is actually a pretty fascinating insight into British diplomatic efforts throughout the world since Elizabethan times. Most of the focus, however, is after the Napoleonic Wars with the British influence over the Congress of Vienna that (largely) settled European affairs between the fall of Napoleon and the start of the First World War. Divided into three sections – Security, Prosperity and Values – this book looks at the three pillars of diplomacy in turn and picks out examples where the British ambassador on the ground attempted, not always successfully, to achieve each of them for his (and all the examples are male) masters back home in London.

Being a fan of European history (as you may have noticed) I was particularly interested in the section covering the political aftermath of the Napoleonic Wars which was, until then, something of a mystery to me. I knew *of* the Congress of Vienna but very little about it. I shall be digging into this more later. Naturally we were coming into this event from a great position of strength (which helped greatly) so our influence was correspondingly strong. It was interesting however how the congress was radically different from, and how far more effective in outcome, they were from the century later Versailles Treaty negotiations. It’s a shame that some of the format of the former was not transferred to the later. Imagine a world without World War Two!

My favourite section – warts and all – was on Prosperity which concentrated on our relations with China and covered the Opium Wars, gunboat diplomacy and the retreat from Hong Kong where we most definitely were negotiating from a severe position of weakness. The double dealing and outright bullying – never mind that it was all over the *forced* importation of opium! – of the British in the Opium Wars was astounding. How those people slept at night is beyond me. Much more on our relations with China to come (and fairly soon).

Lastly another section I enjoyed greatly was based around ‘The Great Game’ between the Russian and British Empire’s fought out – sometimes literally in the Ottoman Empire and especially Constantinople/Istanbul. Again it’s something I’m aware of happening without appreciating the details. Careers and reputations were both made and destroyed in those secretive and tumultuous times. Some of the events read like an early version of James Bond, they really do! Again much more of this fascinating history later.

Overall, apart from a few niggles and annoyances with the narrative, this was a pretty good introduction to what diplomats do and what some famous (and infamous) British diplomats have done over the preceding centuries. Interesting and recommended to anyone looking for insights to what happens behind closed doors in smoke filled rooms.     

8 comments:

Stephen said...

Sounds like an interesting perspective...I'm actually nosing through a book on the US State department (diplomats) at the moment!

CyberKitten said...

@ Stephen: I do have a few things about US Foreign Policy coming up.... [grin]

mudpuddle said...

some of the characters that played roles in the Great Game were amazingly talented. i was thinking of Richard Burton, but he might have lived a bit earlier...

Sarah @ All The Book Blog Names Are Taken said...

Oh look, another one I would probably like.

CyberKitten said...

@ Mudpuddle: The Great Game is totally fascinating and, as you said, attracted some *very* clever people (presumably on both sides) into the fray. I have several books about it awaiting reading including a few by the people themselves (which I find infinitely exciting!). I *think* Burton was involved. I was definitely his era (again I think) and the kind of thing he'd excel at.

@ Sarah: Ooops, Sorry. [grin]

Judy Krueger said...

It is kind of amazing how little we hear about the actions of diplomats in the news. This sounds like an extremely interesting and informative book.

Sarah @ All The Book Blog Names Are Taken said...

You know, you've been saying sorry for quite a long time, but I am beginning to not believe you, lol

CyberKitten said...

@ Judy: It's full of little insights into present diplomacy as well as all of that 'quid pro quo' dealing that happens when cameras aren't around. I did like his comment about US Administrations not liking the British overly much because they tended to sound pompous - unless they could 'talk American'.

@ Sarah: Yes.... Sorry about that.