What fueled Italian aggression in the 1930's? How did Mussolini's Italy fit into the overall strategic and political environment of Europe on the eve of the Second World War?

Questions addressed - 1) What conditions, both underlying and immediate, made Italy's breakout in the 1930s from the post-1918 settlement possible? 2) What were the motive forces behind the expansion and the calculations of the Italian leadership? 3) What options were open to the Western Powers, and why did they choose as they did, and with what results? The following text was part of a study guide I constructed for the course "The Origins and Conduct of the Second World War" at the London School of Economics. It includes a timeline of notable events. These notes are extensive, but should only form the basis for further research.

Did the Germans launch a pre-meditated war in 1914? The causes of WWI still remains one of the hot button issues in contemporary historiography.

What caused WWI? Was it the international system of "entangling alliances?" Or an international arms race that created a powder keg scenario? Domestic political concerns in Imperial Germany? Competition between rival European Colonial Empires? All these explanations and more can be found by students researching this topic. The following summary posits a more traditional view of how German decision-makers planned to unleash a war of conquest to change the European balance of power in their favor in the autumn of 1914. Caution: No discussion of this topic is complete without reference to historiographical disputes raging over these issues. The following text makes no reference to the on... click for more

economic perspective

What were the major factors that led to the retreat from globalization in the period between the two world wars (1919-1939)?

Study Guide

Hi, my world history exam is coming up this week and I would like to have a study guide. I have made up a series of questions that most likely will be on the exam. I would appreciate if you could let me know the correct answers. Please be 100% sure that the answers are correct, or don't sign it out. take as much of the alotted time as needed. Also make sure the answers are not highlited, because there is a problem with that. 1. The main purpose of the Yalta Conference was to a) discuss plans for the invasion of France b) Issue the Atlantic Charter c) decide how to partition Poland. d) talk about the future of Eastern Europe 2. Afer World War II, Germany a) was divided into four oc... click for more

Age of Enlightenment Question

What were the origins of the Enlightenment and what new ideas did the philosophes contribute to European thinking about politics, economics, education, religion and the place of women in society. In particular, how did Enlightenment ideas affect the practice of European politics through Enlightened Absolutism and the French Revolution?