ABSTRACT
In 1939 Harold Nicolson described the German type of external behavior as a "warrior" type and the British type as a "mercantile." According to him, both types have displayed remarkable continuity. Regarding German external behavior, he wrote as follows: Underneath all the solid and magnificent virtues of the German race there lies a layer of nervous uncertainty. At the level of the diplomatic negotiating tactics, the Russians are known as tough negotiators. The Russians' preference in diplomatic negotiations for "force" over "sincerity," for "winning" over "compromise," and for "faits accomplis" over "give and take" is well known. Factors of continuity and disruption are intricately interlocked. They are mutually affected and interdependent. For the purpose of discussion it may become necessary and justified to draw a line between the two categories of factors. The factors of continuity in Russian history are, first, geopolitical or natural factors and, second, historical or human factors.
