The First World War was an epic event of huge proportions that lasted over four years and involved the armies of more than twenty nations, resulting in 30 million casualties, including more than 8 million killed.

This book is about the experiences that prompted American and European women (and men) to make peace and international reform their major concerns. Before the war, most of the activists profiled here had been engaged in other reform efforts, but the outbreak of war drew them together to make 'peace' their primary concern. This small, transatlantic network put forth proposals for changing the international system. They supported non-annexationist war aims and attempted to discredit nations' secret diplomacy, militarism and narrowly nationalistic practices. Instead, they wanted to develop a 'new diplomacy.'

The Search for Negotiated Peace chronicles this diplomatic effort from the earliest stages of the war, including their interactions with Woodrow Wilson, and various other national leaders. It encompasses diplomatic history, women's history, and peace studies.