The legacies of two world wars : European societies in the twentieth century

Author(s)

• Kettenacker, Lothar
• Riotte, Torsten

Bibliographic Information

The legacies of two world wars : European societies in the twentieth century

edited by Lothar Kettenacker & Torsten Riotte

Berghahn Books, 2014

• : pbk

Note

Originally published: 2011

Includes bibliographical references (p. 275-299) and index

Description and Table of Contents

Description

The US invasion of Iraq in 2003 was done mainly, if one is to believe US policy at the time, to liberate the people of Iraq from an oppressive dictator. However, the many protests in London, New York, and other cities imply that the policy of "making the world safe for democracy" was not shared by millions of people in many Western countries. Thinking about this controversy inspired the present volume, which takes a closer look at how society responded to the outbreaks and conclusions of the First and Second World Wars. In order to examine this relationship between the conduct of wars and public opinion, leading scholars trace the moods and attitudes of the people of four Western countries (Great Britain, France, Germany and Italy) before, during and after the crucial moments of the two major conflicts of the twentieth century. Focusing less on politics and more on how people experienced the wars, this volume shows how the distinction between enthusiasm for war and concern about its consequences is rarely clear-cut.

Table of Contents

List of Contributors Chapter 1. 'Old Europe' and the Legacy of Two World Wars Lothar Kettenacker and Torsten Riotte Chapter 2. Prevention or Regulation of War? The Hague Peace Conferences as a limited Tool for Reforming the international System before 1914 Jost Dulffer Chapter 3. 'The Spirit of 1914': A Critical Examination of War Enthusiasm in German Society Gerhard Hirschfeld Chapter 4. Construction and Deconstruction of the Idea of French 'War Enthusiasm' in 1914 Nicolas Beaupre Chapter 5. The Mood in Britain 1914 Hartmut von Pogge Strandmann Chapter 6. The First World War in the History of the Weimar Republic Gerd Krumreich Chapter 7. Fascism and Legacy of the Great War Angelo Ventrone Chapter 8. The French Desire for Peace and Security in the 1920's Jean-Claude Allain Chapter 9. Britain in the Wake in the Great War Jay Winter Chapter 10. Germany: War without Public Backing Hans Mommsen Chapter 11. The French Entry into the War in September 1939: Between Reluctans and Resignation Barbara Lambauer Chapter 12. Great Britain: Declaring War as a Matter of Honour Lothar Kettenacker Chapter 13. Disillusionment, Pragmatism, Indifference: German Society after the 'Catastrophe' Clemens Vollnhals Chapter 14. The French after 1945. Difficulties and Disappointments of an Immediate Post-War Period Fabrice Grenard Chapter 15. Great Britain: Remembering a Just War (1945-1950) Toby Haggith Chapter 16. Italy after 1945: War and Peace. Defeat and Liberation Gustavo Corni Bibliography Index

by "Nielsen BookData"

• NCID: BB2053193X
• ISBN:
  • 9781782381150
• Country Code: us
• Title Language Code: eng
• Text Language Code: eng
• Place of Publication: New York
• Pages/Volumes: viii, 323 p.
• Size: 23 cm
• Classification:
  • DC23 : 940.31
• Subject Headings:
  • LCSH : World War, 1914-1918 -- Social aspects -- Europe, Western
  • LCSH : World War, 1939-1945 -- Social aspects -- Europe, Western
  • LCSH : World War, 1914-1918 -- Influence
  • LCSH : World War, 1939-1945 -- Influence
  • LCSH : World War, 1914-1918 -- Europe, Western -- Public opinion
  • LCSH : World War, 1939-1945 -- Europe, Western -- Public opinion
  • LCSH : Public opinion -- Europe, Western