Papal Diplomacy from 1914 to 1989: The Seventy-Five Years War

(Hardback)

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The First World War, the Second World War, and the Cold War are episodes of a wider conflict, called here The Seventy-Five Years War, dominated the twentieth century. Both unresolved issues and new issues from the First World War carry over into the next conflict, which in turn led immediately to the Cold War. While this great conflict can be viewed from different perspectives, this book focuses on the role of the Papacy. From the stateless Benedict XVs attempts to call a peace conference, to the establishment of Vatican City and the restoration of sovereignty, to the struggles of Pius XI and Pius XII with both Fascism and Communism, and the contributions of John Paul II to the collapse of Communism, the Catholic Church was a part of this struggle. In addition to its humanitarian and pacifistic efforts from 1914 to 1989, the Catholic Church was also engaged in an intense ideological struggle with atheistic communism. This conflict will often take priority over other ideological conflicts, such as that with Fascism, as well as complicate the Churchs mission in other parts of the world, such as Latin America and Asia.

Reviews

An insightful and creative examination of continuous efforts and initiatives of Vatican diplomacy over the course of seven 20th century pontificates. Castillo convincingly uncovers patterns in how the Holy See responded to decades of intergenerational European conflict.--Kevin P. Spicer, Stonehill College
Castillo's work describes the analytical approach papal diplomacy took in response to two world wars, the rise of fascism, and the long growth of communism. His presentation of this long stretch of twentieth-century history is clear and well-organized, and throughout he documents the remarkably consistent underpinnings that supported the papacy as it entered international relations.--John C. Waldmeir, Loras College
Dennis Castillo's Papal Diplomacy from 1914 to 1989: the Seventy-Five Years War expertly outlines the papacy's transition from embattled secular ruler to global moral actor. Castillo introduces the reader to the questions of lasting interest to historians and the general public, such as the papacy's relationship with communism and fascism, the role of the papacy in the Cold War, and the globalization of the Catholic Church. Additionally, Castillo's accessible writing style makes this an ideal work for use in undergraduate courses on twentieth-century European or world history. For all interested in the topic, this work is a very good starting point.--Martin R. Menke, Rivier University

Author Bio

Dennis Castillo is professor of church history at Christ the King Seminary.