Republic Manages Its Imperial Reach 1900-1914

¶ … International Peace Conference

The purpose of this work is to examine the First International Peace Conference and identify the background, or what led to the meeting of delegations, the factors, actors and what was as stake. Further to explore the decisions and interactions that took place as well as the outcomes of the conference. Finally to evaluate the outcome and examine what might have been done differently as well as how the effect of a different outcome may have demonstrated itself historically.

The spring and summer of 1899 was witness to the gathering of twenty-six nations of the world for the First International Peace Conference which was held at the "House in the Woods" at The Hague by generous offer of The Netherlands Queen, Wilhemenia. Although the gathering failed to effectively address disarmament the adoption of other important agreements and conventions paved the way for collective efforts to follow.

Elements that Helped to Bring About this Meeting of Nations:

Increased capacities in technology, rapid military growth and expansion in Germany, expansion in trade and economic growth, imperialist growth as well as fast developing interactions between countries all across the globe paints a gloomy picture of the world in the years preceding 1899. All of these factors spurred Russia's Czar, Nicholas to the thought that a meeting of nations in the effort of peace might be a viable solution. Particularly as Nicholas was keeping a worried eye on the American-Spanish-Cuba-Philippines situation.

The pacifist movements and the organized peace movements were in full swing with peace at the forefront of everyone's mind. Also a factor was that more and more countries were beginning to lean toward the democratic ideal. It seemed to be perfect timing for a collective effort of peace in the world at the dawning of the 1900's.

Participants in the Conference:

Queen of England, Victoria and Queen of The Netherlands, Wilhemenia were both supporters of works in peace. Queen Wilhemenia acting as hostess for the conference created an environment that was both intimate and luxurious allowing the delegates to relax which proved to be very productive in the efforts of peace. Presiding Head over the conference was Russia's Baron De Staal. Attending delegates from the U.S. were Captain Mahan, Mr. Holls and Seth Low.

II. Accomplishments of the Peace Delegation:

Although the conference attempted to be discreet with the conference content the zealous journalists were a source of constant leak so the delegation published an overview of the conference discussion content on a daily basis. The disarmament issue was shelved however three "declarations and conventions" were accomplished. The Declarations were:

Banning of "projectiles and explosives"

Banning of gases that were "asphyxiating or deleterious" in nature.

Banning of "expanding or flattening" bullets.

The Conventions were:

1. "Law and customs" of "war on land" which was inspired by Lincoln.

The "Geneva Convention"

Convention for the Peaceful Settlement of International Disputes": Considered the most important of all three conventions which were adopted with the stated purpose being:

With the view of preventing, as often as possible, the resort to force between nations, the signatory Powers agree to employ all their efforts to assure the peaceful settlement of international differences."

The Biggest Accomplishment: A Permanent Tribunal

Further accomplished was the delegates forming of a tribunal of permanent nature with those who arbitrated being focused in the area of "operation," opposition to "ad hoc," "bilateral developments, and "for ease of arbitration."

Historical Retrospective Evaluation of Peace Conference Results:

The International Peace Conference of 1899 was a remarkably diverse gathering of nations that paved the path for future relations that has been utilized over and over again since the initial meeting over 100 years ago. Multilateral settlement of disputes is common in today's global society however, without this grand meeting of nations a very different path of war and destruction along with violation of human rights could have well been history's tale. Although all of these atrocities have not been altogether avoided, without the meeting at "The Hague" history's story would be much more grievous to the listener than actually resulted.

Although the conference didn't actually see realization of the "ideals" that were expressed by the delegations in attendance indeed the seed for better communications and relations was planted in the "House in the Woods" at "The Hague" in the spring and summer of 1899. It was the hopes of the attendants, their hosts and of all nations who were involved that a path to peaceful relations might be found. This should not be a forgotten historical fact but a living and breathing "ideal" share by the collective society of the world.