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Undeniably, economic "globalization" has many beneficiaries; Germany has gained more than most. This essay will argue, that Henry Kissinger‟s statement was pertinent when Germany‟s politicians looked at the world through a lens of geo-strategic Realpolitik, based exclusively on military might; yet, the significance of Kissinger‟s statement has since been rendered redundant, through the formation of the political and economic supra-national institutions designed to benefit members through international trade and security.

Germany’s political leaders prior to 1945, assumed that, due to Germany’s size - demographic, economic and, more importantly, military - it must take a principal role the leading geo-political arena, Europe. Of course, at the time, this was a divided continent, save a few often empty treaties, and it is well documented how this affected not only this continent, but every offer continent during the 20th Century. Kissinger’s words embody an era of realist international relations, a time when many - particularly Germany – were “conceived of power purely, or certainly mainly, in military terms: soldiers and battles and the relationships between the two”. Furthermore, Kissinger’s pitying words sum up an epoch when it seemed almost conceivable that a country could “go it alone”.

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John Jarrad holds a Masters Degree in Politics and Contemporary History from the University of Nottingham.