Round Table

1
Round Table
On the last day of class, well be having a
roundtable. What happens is you all choose a
historical personage to study, and during the
roundtable, you participate in a debate as if you
were that person. You will be given the
opportunity to research your character during
class. The roundtable will be one hour long, and
will take place on the last day of classes. I
encourage you to choose your own characters,
though I maintain veto power. Roundtables usually
work best if we have characters who are
passionate about a certain idea. For example,
Marx makes an interesting round table character
because he has deep insight about and passion for
socialism. However, Napoleon does not make as
good a character, because ultimately, his actions
were motivated by ambition, not ideas. If you
cant think of a character, look at my list for
inspiration.

• Voltaire
• Klemens von Metternich
• Otto von Bismarck
• Martin Luther
• Louis XIV
• Freidrich Nietzsche
• Charles Darwin
• Karl Marx
• Liberal Bourgeois, circa 1789
• Former German Soldier in WWI, circa 1930
• Niccolo Machiavelli
• John Locke
• Nikita Krushnev
• Lord Byron
• Elizabeth I

2
Europe in Crisis Part I

• The Coming Storm

3
Industrialization and the New Society

• Work now happens outside the home
• Lower Infant Mortality Rates High Cost of
  Education Smaller Families
• Urban Living
• The Plight of the Poor

Womens role in the home was glorified as the
family began to live separately from the
workplace. This picture was painted in the 1850s.
4
Socialism

• Diverse
• Generally believed that capitalism and
  industrialization only benefited the wealthy,
  society should be egalitarian and property was
  not sacred.
• Utopian Socialism
• Utilitarianism work towards the greatest good
  for the most people.
• Marxism developed its own mythology.

5
Russia

• Crimean War
• Assassination of Alexander II
• Lead to Alexander IIIs conservative backlash
• Jewish Pogroms
• Nicholas II Incompetent
• Russo-Japanese War 1905

A soldier preparing for the Battle of
Balaclava, a pointless battle that resulted in
deaths of thousands due to poor communication.
The Charge of the Light Brigade is based on this
battle.
6
Austria

• After loosing the Austro-Prussian war, many
  domestic problems surface.
• Dual Monarchy, the Austro-Hungarian Empire
  formed.
• Many other ethnic groups clamor for rights.

7
German Foreign Policy

• Bismarcks Three Goals Military Buildup,
  Alliance and Alienation of France.
• Hoped to avoid war
• Emperors League
• Dual Alliance
• Wilhelm II fires Bismarck

8
France, Britain and Russia

• Postwar Turmoil
• Nationalism
• Revenge
• Dreyfus Affair
• Diplomatic isolation ends in 1894.
• In 1904, Britain signs Dual Entante.
• In 1907, Entante Cordial

Despite the drama of the Franco-Prussian war,
France recovered quickly and experienced an era
of artistic and economic development known as the
Belle Epoch. This impressionist painting is
characteristic of the era. However, there was
much fear that this wouldnt last
9
Underlying Problems

• Imperialism
• 1908 Austrian-Russian Crisis
• Scramble for Africa
• Nationalism
• Pan-Slavism
• German nationalism linked with militarism.
• Militarism
• Army buildup
• Especially strong in Germany
• Balkans
• Powder Keg of Europe.
• Traditionally unstable due to competition between
  Russia, Ottomans and Austria nationalism.

10
So all they did was shoot an Archduke? What is an
Archduke?

• June 28, 1914 Archduke Franz Ferdinand is shot.
• German Blank Check
• Austrian Ultimatum
• Russia needs to preserve honor and gain
  Dardanelles
• Belgian Neutrality
• British Balance of Power

11
Total War

• Home by Christmas.
• Income Tax, Conscription
• Introduction to Socialism.
• Industry applied to military weapons.
• Propaganda
• Every aspect of society touched and traumatized.

"The lamps are going out all over Europe we
shall not see them lit again in our
lifetime.-Sir Edward Grey, British Foreign
Minister
12
Military Maneuvers

• Western Front
• Battle of the Marne
• Battle of the Somme
• Trench Warfare
• War of Attrition
• Eastern Front
• Battle at Sea
• Britain can form a blockade, but Germany has
  submarines.