The author Erik Larson, in "Dead Wake: The Last Crossing of the Lusitania," observes a prevalent belief before World War I that war had become an outdated concept. Many people thought that the interconnectedness of the global economies made prolonged conflict impossible. This naive optimism suggested that even in the event of war, it would be brief due to the consequences for commerce and trade.

This perspective reflected a significant misunderstanding of the nature of international relations at the time. The assumption was that mutual economic interests would prevent nations from engaging in lengthy wars, highlighting the contrasts between past conflicts and contemporary expectations of peace. Ultimately, this belief did not hold true as history unfolded dramatically differently.