Bismarck

However, Taylor argues that although Hitler wished to make Germany the strongest power in Europe, he did not want or plan a world war (Taylor, 25). He characterizes Hitler as a prototypical German leader, no different than his predecessors such as Bismarck. Taylor’s views, first published in 1961, were very controversial and considered “revisionist”. Unlike most other historians…

The debate whether World War One was a war instigated by fear or rather a war for motives of gain, has been a debate long fought by historians. Most historians however agree that World War One was caused by the tensions between the European powers and crisis of the balance-of-power system which divided Europe into two armed and completely opposed groups. Furthermore, based on historical evidence and the events leading up to World War One, it can be said that it was a war not only fought due to…

Imperialism in Europe was all the rage in the 19th and early 20th century. Europeans laid eyes on Africa and realized the potential of Africa’s resources. European nations in the late 19th C. expanded with the precept of ‘civilizing’ Africa but, also with the hidden intention of reaping profit, exploiting trade and the ongoing competition between European empires. The Free State of Congo was a peculiar scenario and the Belgian monarch had a certain grip on Congo. Leopold’s reign of the Congo…

I developed in life a generosity and a craving for sympathy. A fear was to talk in front of a crowd. I botched my marriage speech at the reception with a nervous few words “ thank you for all coming” and sat down. My father leant over the table and told me to calm down. If that was an indication of terror, worse was to come in corporate business. I wanted to do something about it, as I could not escape life without at some point making a speech. So I went to a Dale Carnegie presentation in the…

The countries of Europe did not have the best relationships during the early 1900’s. Many secret treaties were made throughout the countries of Europe which would coincidently pull all of Europe into a war. They had disputes about territory while they were trying to colonize the rest of the world for their own benefit. Also racing to have to have the biggest military was just asking to provoke trouble with other countries. There also many different ethnic groups within countries. These ethnic…

The author of this source takes a supranationalist approach to nationalism. This stance is outlined in the quote, “The creation of nations fosters a dangerous ‘us versus them’ mentality.” and “It is [the creation of nations] a breeding ground for discrimination and oppression, marginalizing those who do not fit the national identity." A supranationalist view is identified by the author’s objection to the formation of nations in its entirety. This detail is what sets the perspective apart from an…

For almost all of the last 1200 years, Central Europe has been a multiethnic space governed by overlapping political entities. We usually don 't think of it that way, because the Cold War created a new dichotomy o (advanced, democratic) Western Europe and (feudal, primitive, totalitarian) Eastern Europe, even though Vienna is about 150 miles southeast of Prague. Even before the Cold War, Central Europe had gotten a bad rap, since historians touted the nation-state as the teleological endpoint of…

It was the summer of 1939. The sweltering heat created an almost omnipresent haze in the air. Something would happen today. Rumors had been swirling about an attack on London. Young children were ushered and rushed to alleged safety and mothers wept in fear. Europe was at war. Twenty years later Golding published a novel that would capture the essence of society itself. In Lord of the Flies he uses symbolism to portray the collapse of peace and humanity during World War II. In Lord of the Flies…

In 1803 President Thomas Jefferson guided a tact through the U.S. Senate: the purchase of Louisiana region from France. After the Louisiana Purchase a treaty was made where Jefferson started an investigation of the recently obtained land and the domain past the "rocky mountains" in the West. Jefferson’s main vision and wish was to make a new America that commanded the trade routes from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean. With so doing this forced England, France, and Spain out of North…

committed many war crimes in his time in office and will be remembered accordingly. Hermann Göring was born on the 12th January 1893 in Rosenheim, Bavaria. He was born to a well off family with his Dad, Heinrich Ernst Göring, being appointed by Otto von Bismarck the first Reichskomissar (Governor General) of the German protectorate in South-West Africa which is today Namibia. Heinrich’s first marriage was unsuccessful and ended with 5 children to his name. His second marriage saw another 5, of…