Si Vis Pacem: The Washington Conference and Peace Through Diplomacy
(Half Day • Morning)
Go back in time to the landmark Washington Conference on the Limitation of Armament...
Stand with us in the room where, three years after the Armistice, the victorious powers of the Great War gathered to see if peace could last. With affairs in Europe resolved and Germany restrained by the Treaty of Versailles, all eyes turned to the Pacific, where competing interests were causing an arms race between the United States, the British Empire, and Japan. At the same time, China was recovering from the fall of the Qing Dynasty and the Paris Peace Conference had not fully resolved the matters that arose in Asia and the Pacific during the war. Could these difficulties be resolved if the powers concerned met in conference again?
From the very first session in 1921, the Washington Conference on the Limitation of Armament was unlike any past diplomatic endeavor and hailed for its spirit of idealism and candor. As the delegates attempted to preserve peace not by the buildup of weapons but by their reduction, they grappled with the postwar shifts in global power. But should diplomats be trusted to decide the size of their nations’ armed forces? During this elective, we will stop at the grounds of current and former embassies of the most important players and visit the Charles Evans Hughes House, the John Ericsson Memorial, and the conference site in historic Continental Hall to hear from staff about the proceedings and explore the museum.
Hillwood Estate, Museum & Gardens
(Half Day • Afternoon)
Wander the former residence and grounds of Marjorie Merriweather Post...
The former residence and grounds of businesswoman, socialite, philanthropist, collector, and all-around astounding person Marjorie Merriweather Post, Hillwood is a decorative arts museum located on the edge of Rock Creek Park. Marjorie was the daughter of C.W. Post and took ownership of the General Foods Corporation upon her father’s death in 1914. She was actively engaged in the business, helping it grow into a household name through various shrewd business moves. For much of her life, she was the wealthiest woman in the United States and used her fortune to create an immense and varied collection, now housed at the museum and in various Smithsonian exhibits.
Hillwood is known for its collection focused on the House of Romanov, which includes a collection of Fabergé eggs and 18th- and 19th-century French and Russian art. The garden is its own form of art as well, with emerald green lawns trimmed to perfection, flowerbeds that bloom year-round in curated palettes, and a greenhouse and cafe on the grounds. See a side of D.C. you never knew existed!
*This elective has an additional cost.
