Summary
Highlights
World War I, characterized as the "first total war" with immense casualties, spurred a global desire to prevent future conflicts. This led to the emergence of internationalism, a philosophy advocating for nations to collaborate to maintain peace and foster prosperity, contrasting with the nationalism that contributed to the war.
In 1927, French Foreign Minister Aristide Briand proposed a treaty with the U.S. to outlaw war. A year and a half later, he and U.S. Secretary of State Frank B. Kellogg signed the Kellogg-Briand Pact, which renounced war as an instrument of national policy. Many nations, including Germany, Great Britain, China, and various smaller states, joined, showcasing a strong internationalist sentiment against nationalism.
Internationalism was not limited to political treaties but also permeated non-political spheres. This included global sporting events like the Olympics, international aid organizations such as the Red Cross, multinational businesses, and labor unions. Scientific and social groups also embraced international cooperation, holding conferences to share ideas on topics from physics to social issues like alcoholism and poverty, and even government agencies like Interpol were formed to combat crime internationally.
The concept of international alliances dates back over 3,000 years to ancient Egypt. In modern Europe, 19th-century coalitions, such as the Congress system established in Vienna in 1815, aimed to coordinate policies among 'great powers.' However, this internationalism had limitations, as seen in the 1885 Berlin Conference, where European powers cooperated to divide Africa without African representation, ultimately leading to colonial tensions and contributing to the resurgence of nationalism before WWI.
Following WWI, the League of Nations was established by leaders like Woodrow Wilson to promote diplomacy and prevent future wars. While almost all countries joined, its effectiveness was hampered by the absence of the U.S. and Russia, and an imbalance of power favoring Britain and France. The League addressed health, social issues, and disarmament but ultimately failed in its primary role of peacekeeping, failing to prevent invasions by aggressive nationalist powers like Japan and Italy, and aggression in the Spanish Civil War.
By the late 1930s, both the League of Nations and internationalism generally failed, as nationalism re-emerged amidst economic problems. Countries like Germany, Italy, and Japan openly rejected internationalism, while others were unwilling to prioritize international peace over their own goals. The Kellogg-Briand Pact ultimately failed to prevent World War II but its principles were incorporated into the charter of the United Nations, yet even today, signatory countries sometimes disregard its call for diplomatic conflict resolution.