In the Fourth Year: Anticipations of a World Peace

In this compelling essay the author captures the fevered optimism of the final year of the Great War, when the clash of armies seemed to give way to a clash of ideas. From the early belief that the conflict was a “War of Ideas,” the piece traces how the notion of a “war to end war” evolved into a concrete vision for a lasting global institution. The writer reflects on the upheavals of 1914‑1918—revolutions, secret treaties, and the rising influence of the United States—to argue that the old imperialist habits are finally giving way to a new, cooperative mindset.

The text reads as a rallying call for writers, thinkers, and citizens to join a worldwide chorus advocating the League of Nations. It blends political analysis with heartfelt persuasion, insisting that the promise of lasting peace is no longer a fanciful dream but an urgent, practical necessity. Listeners will come away with a vivid sense of the era’s hopes and the intellectual momentum that fueled the birth of modern internationalism.