European Diplomacy Leading to The Great War.
Prelude to the Clash of Empires European Diplomacy Leading to The Great War The 20th Century brought about much change in the political and social system of Europe. In fact, "change" can be used as the one word to define the major characteristic of the last century. Borders, people, politics, ideologies, science and even the way people think suffered major leaps and modifications. New elements were introduced in almost every field, while others were transformed beyond recognition. But change was not always for the better. The 20th Century meant the worst wars the world has ever known, regimes of a brutality that reminded the dark ages and weapons of mass destruction (an element that was probably birthed by it) that could not even be dreamt of in the 19th Century. It had a promising beginning. The first years of the century were marked by prosperity and development - "La Belle Epoque" - life standards were increasing, culture was becoming more and more available and the image of war seemed nothing more than an atavism of past times. But not before the second decade would be over Europe would have had experienced the widest spread conflict it had yet to encounter. Europe's first great war of the twentieth century had roots in a heritage that belonged to all Europe. That heritage was autocracy. Kings ruled by right of birth. And kings extended their rule where they could and
Federation was the beginning of Australias history as one united nation. The notion of Federation first surfaced in the 1840s and 60s.
Federation was the beginning of Australia's history as one united nation. The notion of Federation first surfaced in the 1840s and 60s. Federation can be defined as the unification of six colonies under a common national Parliament and thereby creating one national state1. Federation officially occurred on January 1st 1901, with six colonies joining together and creating a commonwealth which symbolised the powerful unity of shared wealth and defence system. In 1891, the federation convention first drafted the constitution of the Australian Commonwealth2. As with many other ideas throughout history Federation gave way to both opposition and support. This idea is said to have derived from a number of different reasons. These reasons include; Australia's defence and foreign policy; the issue of immigration; and economic unity to include transport, trade and tax. One of the first key reasons put forward for federation was Australia's defence policy. During the late 1800s, Australia became especially concerned with its close position to neighbouring foreign powers; the 'threat' from Asia and imperial forces. At this time the states within Australia were all working as independent nations and each had their own defence forces. However it soon became evident that each of these forces was not enough to defend Australia against a possible threat. This threat soon became evident when
The Importance of a Role Model - In The Radetzky March, Joseph Roth addresses the faults of the Austrian military society.
Lillian Gu A2 2/28/03 3:16 am Third Draft The Importance of a Role Model In The Radetzky March, Joseph Roth addresses the faults of the Austrian military society. The chaotic state of the Austrian government bred corruption throughout the empire. Because the pervasive nepotism within the regiments demands self-sufficiency from everyone, a meaningful relationship with an adult male to nurture this independence is vital for survival. Carl Joseph's lack of such a relationship leads to his unsound choice of role models, idealization of the past, and diminished self-confidence. Though Carl Joseph seeks beyond his father to the Kaiser and the Hero of Solferino for direction, they do not offer him any guidance. Carl Joseph's belief that the Kaiser is "kind and great" (23) without ever having met him reveals his shallow, childlike idolization of the Kaiser. Though he feels that the Kaiser is "infinitely remote and very close" (23), the Kaiser's imagined intimacy offers him nothing. Although Carl Joseph already realizes that the Kaiser's eyes have "grown cold in so many portraits" (192), the grandeur of the Corpus Christi blinds him. Roth shows this blindness through Trotta's perception of a "new fatherly solitude and benevolence" (192) in the Kaiser's gaze. In selecting his grandfather, Carl Joseph fails to realize that his grandfather is merely a memory of heroic, yet
Impact of Suez On U.K. Foreign Policy.
IMPACT OF SUEZ ON U.K. FOREIGN POLICY. Introduction: A change in Britain's Foreign Policy-Making. At the end of World War II, the four western European states that had played a leading role in world affairs for most of the first half of the twentieth century, were now much weaker than before. One of these was Britain, which though it still seemed strong and victorious with her empire still intact, the cost of the war had been ruinous. The USA had helped to keep Britain going during the war by sending supplies, but these had to be paid for later. So in 1945, though Britain was still a world power it increasingly had to adapt its international commitments: to the financial limitations of relative economic decline; to costly technological progress, especially in nuclear weapons; and to external challenges of European integration, colonial nationalism and Soviet imperialism. The need to make substantial adjustments was particularly obvious during the administration of Eden1, Macmillan2 and Douglas-Home3 from 1955 to 1964. However, Britain's future international priorities and the necessary financial and military cutbacks were highly controversial. So controversial in fact was Britain's intervention in the Suez Canal conflict of 1956; which intervention left Britain humiliated and with an effect on its future foreign policy-making. General consequences. The consequences of
Why did Odessa feature so greatly in the lives of the early Zionists?
Why did Odessa feature so greatly in the lives of the early Zionists? Odessa, a city in Ukraine, South-West of Russia, was a hub of Zionist activity for several decades, and being the home of several key early Zionist thinkers during the late 19th Century, Odessa played an important role in shaping the advancement of Zionist thought. Famous inhabitants included Hebrew national poet Chaim Nachman Bialik, writer Moshe Leib Lilienblum, former child prodigy Ahad Ha'am (Asher Ginsberg); and Zionist 'wunderkind' Vladimir Jabotinsky. These people had all been drawn to Odessa by the freedoms promised, which were designed to attract eastern Europeans and incidentally oppressed Jews, following its recent takeover by Catherine the Great. The city is also a port on the Black Sea, allowing easy sea access to Palestine, meaning when Zionists such as Ahad Ha'am visited Palestine, they would have had no trouble getting there. With the discrimination early Zionists had experienced in Russia, one can see that this oppression was a clear catalyst for Zionism; particularly so once the Zionists reached liberalist Odessa. Here in Odessa, societies such as Hibbat Zion, and Hebrew journals such as Ha-Melitz (first published in 1860) flourished, and several of the key Zionists mentioned above were actively involved with contributing to the running of these organisations (Goldberg, 1996: 93). By
In Fritz Fischer's Germany's Aims in the First World War it is evident that the blame is being laid almost entirely onto Germany. Not only however is Fischer laying the blame onto Germany, he is also through his writings making it clear
The question of Germany's war guilt in the First World War is one that has been debated over for decades. Situations have been analyzed, and various documents have been examined. From these vigorous studies resulted virtually hundreds of articles dealing with the issues of Germany's war guilt, each with its own twist, approach, and ultimately the inevitable bias. History is an interpretation of selected facts, and no matter how hard one tries, it is practically impossible to eliminate this selectivity. In addition to this 'selection' of facts or evidences, we witness the act of interpretation in which a single passage can be taken and given two totally different meanings by two separate historians. With this in mind, it becomes clear why we are constantly bombarded with contrasting ideas and theories. In this paper, I will deal with this issue precisely. I will be looking at three historians, each writing on the topic of Germany's war guilt in World War One. I will analyze the direct contrast between the articles of Fritz Fischer and Gerhard Ritter, while demonstrating how Konrad Jarausch's article serves as a mediator between the two. In Fritz Fischer's Germany's Aims in the First World War it is evident that the blame is being laid almost entirely onto Germany. Not only however is Fischer laying the blame onto Germany, he is also through his writings making it clear that
To what extent was the first decade of the 20th century the age of hope people thought it would be?
To what extent was the first decade of the 20th century the age of hope people thought it would be? The extent, to which the first decade of the 20th century, was the age of hope people thought it would be is contingent on the perspective taken on the changes and developments that were taking place at the time. Though it was to a great extent the age of hope people thought it would be, such an extent is limited due to fact that the changes that were taking place also led to a climate of anxiety which culminated in World War one. At such a point in time, new world order was being established and the notions of "old orders" questioned. Subsequently political instability flourished and shifts in the balance of powers occurred. Advancements in technology were prevalent, ensuring an improvement on the quality of life for all. Complemented by the leaps in technology and industrialisation, economic growth was consistently on the rise, giving people high hopes of a better future, however simultaneously creating rivalries amongst nations. Hence the first decade of the 20th century was a time of great change. However it was the results of such changes which served to be catalysts for the new found tensions and rivalries amongst differing nations. As historian J.Joll asserted, "Due to a rapid increase in economic development and imperial rivalries conflict was prominent." At the
Summary of Martel, The Origins of the First World War
Summary of Martel, The Origins of the First World War Chapter 1 In the following assignment, I will summarize what arguments Martel is trying to make in Chapter 1 of Origins of the First World War starting with what caused the outbreak of War and Martel's reasons to why it happened. The crisis began one morning in June 1914, when the Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife were shot dead by Serbian nationalists. Though the assassination did not have enough impact to cause a world war, the Austrians decided that this was the perfect opportunity to crush the Serbian movement by issuing an ultimatum that would end Serbia's existence as a sovereign state. With each country bound to each other through the alliance system, this triggered each of the alliances to go against each other, causing a continent wide war. Martel goes on to explain the main causes of the war and claims that though the alliance system was considered one of the main causes of the war, their were other deeper underlying causes to why the crisis broke out in 1914. Martel mentions nationalism as one of the main causes that drove the Serbian nationalists to assassinate the archduke. Nationalism was also what motivated Austria to take action against Serbia and what caused the feeling of brotherhood between the Russians and the Serbs because of their common Slavic identity. Another less subtle cause of the
The Indians of Southern California in 1852; The B.D. Wilson report.A Critical Commentary:
The Indians of Southern California in 1852; The B.D. Wilson report. A Critical Commentary: The text under scrutiny in this commentary will be the report of 1852 as produced by Benjamin Davis Wilson (1811-1878). The text comprises a report that identifies two major problems regarding Californian Native Americans. The issues addressed in the report included the future of the ranching business that had been compromised by raids at the hands of various Indian tribes, and the misfortunes of the mission Indians. Wilson's recommendations point directly to the establishment of a reservations system for the Native Americans of California. Reservation systems have been riddled with controversy since their inception around 1853. As was the case at Mendocino as early as 1858 when it was described as a place "where a very large amount of money was annually expended in feeding white men and starving Indians."1 The history of federal policy toward Indians is one of great contention and over a hundred years later compensation is still being made to those who suffered from the apparent misguiding and unwillingness of the United States Senate. Controversy surrounding the history of federal and state dealings with Native Americans has stimulated me to assess the proposals made in this report. A more profound reason for my study is to establish a comparison between the reports intended
Why did
Why did Germany go to war in 1914? The assassination of the Archduke of Austro-Hungary in Sarajevo on June 28 1914 and the declaration of war by Austro-Hungary on Serbia one month later were undoubtedly catalysts for the war which was to follow, however can also easily be seen as exchangeable factors in the build up to Germany entering into the Great War. Significant as these points are, they were only short term causes among many larger, longer term factors which led the German Kaiser Wilhelm II to join the war on the side of Austro-Hungarians and many other nations to take up arms on one of the two sides. The true reason for the outbreak of war on such a global scale will undoubtedly be found to be concealed within a complex entanglement of alliances and grievances going back several decades. I intend to look political and economic factors of how and why Germany took a road from unification in 1871 to war in 1914 and link these in with Nationalistic, Militaristic and Imperialistic tensions that existed in the decades before the war and extract the key arguments for causes of Germany entering the conflict. From the end of the Napoleonic wars in 1815 until the start of the first world 99 years later in 1914, much of Europe saw a level of peace it had not experienced for several centuries. This did not mean however there were not significant wars in this period. Perhaps the