The Origins of World War Two: The Debate Continues

ISBN-13: 9780333945391 / Angielski / Miękka / 2003 / 397 str.

Robert Boyce; Dr Joseph A. Maiolo; Robert W. D. Boyce

Opis

The Second World War, and especially its origins, continue to dominate undergraduate syllabi. This volume of original essays by international experts covers all aspects of the field to provide a tightly edited textbook which, in its coverage and content, is ideal for students, scholars and general readers. The collection is divided into two parts: part one explores the role of the revisionist Powers, the status quo Powers and the small states, while part two examines key themes, including diplomacy, intelligence, ideology, armaments, propaganda and economics.

Spis treści

List of Maps and Figures.- Acknowledgements.- Maps.- Introduction.- PART I: RESPONSIBILITY OF THE POWERS THE REVISIONIST POWERS Nazi Germany; C.Leitz; Fascist Italy; J.Gooch; Imperial Japan; A.Best; THE GREAT ENIGMA Soviet Russia and the Spanish Problem; J.G.Haslam; THE STATUS QUO POWERS France; P.Jackson; Britain; W.Murray; United States; W.F.Kimball; THE SMALL EUROPEAN POWERS AND CHINA Poland; A.J.Prazmowska; Czechoslovakia; I.Lukes; The Neutrals; N.Wylie; China; J.W.Garver.- PART II: THEMES Political Science Perspectives; R.Jervis; Ideology; A.Cassels; Economics; R.Boyce; Peace Movements; P.M.H.Bell; Armaments Competition; J.A.Maiolo; Intelligence; J.Ferris; Diplomacy and Diplomatists; D.C.Watt; Propaganda; P.M.Taylor.- Chronology.- Further Reading.- Contributors.- Index.

O autorze

ROBERT BOYCE is Senior Lecturer in the Department of International History at the London School of Economics.

JOSEPH A. MAIOLO is Lecturer in International History in the Department of War Studies, King's College London.

Blurb

No issue in modern history has been more intensively studied, or subject to wider interpretation, than the origins of the Second World War. A conflict involving three - arguably four - major aggressor Powers, operating simultaneously but largely separately on two continents, inevitably raises complex theories and debates. Each participating power has its own history, and each one must take account of various influences upon the behaviour of its soldiers and statesmen.
His wide-ranging collection of original essays, each by an international expert in their field, covers all aspects of the subject and highlights the controversy that continues to characterise current thinking on the origins of the war. Going beyond the usual Eurocentric approach, Part I examines the roles of all seven of the Great Powers (including Japan and the USA), as well as the parts played by several of the lesser Powers, such as Czechoslovakia, Poland and China. Part II contains chapters which explore key themes that cannot be fully understood within the context of any single country. These themes include the role of ideology, propaganda, intelligence, armaments, economics, diplomacy, the neutral states, peace movements, and the social science approach to war.
Written in clear, jargon-free prose, together these essays provide a comprehensive single-volume text for students and teachers, and are essential reading for all with an interest in the debates surrounding the causes of World War Two.