On the Far Western Front

Book excerpt: This book uncovers a forgotten campaign of the First World War, the fight to dominate South America. Propelled by the fear and energy of British businessmen, Britain created a complex economic war against local Germans, with the aim of permanently overturning German dominance in lucrative avenues of international trade. By utilizing government, press, and business archives in Britain and South America, Dehne produces a lively account of the way the campaign was conducted on both sides of the Atlantic. In examining the hopes and difficulties faced by Britain in fighting this war, On the Far Western Front reshapes our understanding of the parameters of early twentieth century globalization and the limitations of British imperial power. This book will persuade anyone interested in the First World War that the conflict must be examined beyond the battlefields of Europe. It comprises a significant contribution to the new field of the history of globalization, and it will also appeal to anyone interested in the economic, diplomatic, and imperial history of the early twentieth century. As Dehne suggests new reasons for the emergence of anti-foreign populist politics in South American states, students of Latin American history will also find the book important. It is aimed for upper-level undergraduates and above.’