A Study Of Walter Lippmann's Diplomatic Thoughts And Practice During The First World War

The First World War was an important period of change in US foreign policy.Wilson saw this war as the a golden opportunity for the United States to grap world hegemony and reshape the international relations.This war also attracted the attention of many America intellectuals.Walter Lippmann,as an intellectual in the progressive era,and the maker of the post-war peace plan,played an important role in the formulation of the Wilson government's foreign policy during the First World War.The formation of Lipmann's diplomatic thought during World War I came from his pragmatic thinking on international politics and foreign affairs.Lipman believes that the United States at the beginning of the 20 th century already has a great power status,and should commit to fulfilling its foreign democratic commitment,actively play its huge role in the balance of international power,and promote the establishment of a more reasonable new international order.He recognized that a country's national interests are objective and true,and it is its fundamental foothold in formulating foreign policy.In view of the difficult situation in the United States when participating in international affairs,Lippmann argued that the U.S.should adjust its policy toward the Britain in due course and strive to seek cooperation and win-win with the British Empire in international affairs.In addition,he also thought about the ethnic issues at that time,and put forward suggestions for major countries to help backward ethnic groups seek autonomy and establish international arbitration institutions to mediate conflicts.More importantly,Lippmann practiced his diplomatic vision during the war.At the beginning of the war,he wrote an editorials and books to convey his views on the war and American War Policy.Lippmann advocated that the United States should adopt a flexible foreign policy and "prepared" neutrality,and timely strengthen its military power in order to better safeguard American wartime interests.With the advance of the war and thedeterioration of the relations between Germany and the United States,He turned to support US intervention in the war and participated in the Wilson government's diplomatic decision-making,which had an important impact on the formulation of the“14 points”.At the end of the war,Lippmann joined the Peace Negotiation Committee and contributed his wisdom and strength to the preparation of the peace conference.During World War ?,as a scholar of international relations and a foreign policy analyst,Lippmann put forward his pragmatic vision of foreign policy around the real interests of the United States.The occurrence of war also provides a huge stage for its diplomatic practice.Lippmann deeply influenced the transformation of American foreign policy at the turn of the century by participating in the foreign policy decisions of Wilson administration.He used his career to answer how intellectuals should play a role in a liberal regime.