Irish Republicans and the Indo-German Conspiracy of World War I

Abstract

Realpolitik is not merely the game of nations and empires, but the birth and death of nationalist organizations and revolutionary coalitions as well. The Indo-German Conspiracy—also known as the German-Hindu Conspiracy—of World War I confirmed the old adage that the enemy of my enemy is my friend. This lesson in realpolitik demonstrates that alliances made between widely diverse nationalist movements, or between nationalists and foreign imperial governments, may be exploited owing to the vulnerability that enemy infiltration in one nationalist organization or government might bring to another member of the alliance. This exploitation can be compounded by any internal divisions within the nationalist organizations. However, if a true nationalist community develops in this alliance, the resources, organization, and energy of one nationalist movement may be carried into the other. That synergetic relationship existed between the Germans, Indians, and Irish during World War I as both a German-sponsored alliance of realpolitik and a true Indo-Irish nationalist community on three continents. Likewise, a coalition of neutral Americans and belligerent British worked together to destroy this three-way alliance. 1