2026/02/10 by James Stone, James M. Stone · 1 voice
Arts and Humanities · Social Sciences · #European Political History Analysis #History of Emotions Research #World Wars: History, Literature, and Impact
paper · doi:10.1080/02684527.2026.2615358
openalex publication_date 2026/02/10 · openalex created_date 2026/02/11 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/21
Between 1871 and 1890, France and Germany found themselves locked in a fierce espionage competition that strained diplomatic relations and fostered xenophobia in both nations. It was no coincidence that it was a spy scandal in April 1887 that brought the two countries closer to war than any other event in these two decades. It was a period in their bilateral relationship that had many similarities to the Soviet-American Cold War characterized by war scares, a spiraling arms race and spy paranoia. This study analyzes new material from German archives to reconstruct the intelligence operations of both countries during these years.