The war that ended peace : the road to 1914 Cover Image

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The war that ended peace : the road to 1914 / Margaret MacMillan.

MacMillan, Margaret, 1943- (Author).

Summary:

"The First World War followed a period of sustained peace in Europe during which people talked with confidence of prosperity, progress, and hope. But in 1914, Europe walked into a catastrophic conflict that killed millions, bled its economies dry, shook empires and societies to pieces, and fatally undermined Europe's dominance of the world. It was a war that could have been avoided up to the last moment--so why did it happen? Beginning in the early nineteenth century and ending with the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, award-winning historian Margaret Macmillan uncovers the huge political and technological changes, national decisions, and just as important, the small moments of human muddle and weakness that led Europe from peace to disaster. This masterful exploration of how Europe chose its path towards war will change and enrich how we see this defining moment in history"--Provided by Publisher.

Record details

ISBN: 9780670064045 (hc.) :
ISBN: 0670064041 (hc.)
Physical Description: xxxv, 739 p. : ill., maps, ports. ; 25cm.
Publisher: Toronto, ON : Allen Lane, c2013.

Content descriptions

General Note:	CatMonthString:november.13
Bibliography, etc. Note:	Includes bibliographical references and index.
Formatted Contents Note:	Europe in 1900 -- Great Britain and splendid isolation -- "Woe to the country that has a child for king!" : Wilhelm II and Germany -- Weltpolitik : Germany's place on the world stage -- Dreadnought : the Anglo-German naval rivalry -- Unlikely friends : the entente cordiale between France and Britain -- The bear and the whale : Russia and Great Britain -- The loyalty of the Nibelungs : the dual alliance of Austria-Hungary and Germany -- What were they thinking? : hopes, fears, ideas, and unspoken assumptions -- Dreaming of peace -- Thinking about war -- Making the plans -- The crises start : Germany, France and Morocco -- The Bosnian crisis : confrontation between Russia and Austria-Hungary in the Balkans -- 1911 : the year of discords - Morocco again -- The first Balkan Wars -- Preparing for war or peace : Europe's last months of peace -- Assassination at Sarajevo -- The end of the concert of Europe : Austria-Hungary declares war on Serbia -- Turning out the lights : Europe's last week of peace.