The Book
Late 19th and early 20th-century Europe saw the unfolding of socio-political and economic situations that set the stage for the First World War, and eventually led to the Second World War.
This textbook offers detailed analyses along with a comprehensive historiography for each of the following topics:
• Theories of nationalism and the processes by which new nation-states were carved out
• Nationalist aspirations of Germany, Italy and the Austro-Hungarian Empire/Ottoman Empire
• Theories of imperialism and imperialist rivalries
• Debates on the causes and impact of the First World War
• The Russian revolutions of 1905 and 1917
• Fascism and its origins
• Fascist Italy and Nazi Germany
• Origins of the Second World War
• Cultural transformation of Europe: photography, radio and cinema, movements of art and architecture and national art galleries; and institutions of knowledge: exhibitions, museums/archives
History of Modern Europe, 1850–1939 follows the latest NEP 2020 History syllabus, and caters to the urgent need for an authoritative textbook that will help students explore these varied topics
methodically and chronologically.
Replete with interesting photographs, maps, and an extensive bibliography, this book is recommended reading for all undergraduate students and IAS aspirants.
The Author(s)
Monmayee Basu retired as Associate Professor, Department of History, Hansraj College, University of Delhi. This book is the culmination of her 26 long years of experience teaching history at the undergraduate level.
Table of Contents
List of Figures, Tables and Maps
Preface
1. Nationalism
2. The Unification of Italy
Background • The Story of Unification • Historiography
3. The Unification of Germany
Origins • Rise of Nationalism in Germany • The Schleswig-Holstein Question • The Luxembourg
Crisis • The Franco-Prussian War • Bismarck: An
Assessment • Germany after Unification
4. The Eastern Question: Nationalist Aspirations in the Ottoman Empire
Background • The Eastern Question • The
Balkan Peninsula Terrain • Balkan Crisis in the Early
19th Century • Balkan Crisis in the Late 19th and
Early 20th Centuries • Analysing the Turbulent Flux of
Balkan Nationalism
5. Imperialism
Imperialism before the 19th Century • The Age
of Imperialism, the 19th Century • Theories of
Imperialism
6. Alliances and Alignments: Prelude to the First World War
Bismarck’s System of Alliances • Britain Steps out of
its Splendid Isolation • The Fashoda Crisis and the
Entente Cordiale • Anglo-Russian Rivalry turns into
the Anglo-Russian Convention • Fluid Alignments
and Italy’s Trepidation
7. The First World War
Long-term Causes of the First World War • Russia
sides with Serbia • England joins France and Russia
against Germany • The System of Secret Alliances • Imperialism • Militarism • Nationalism • Newspaper and Press • Other Causes • Historians Discuss War Guilt
8. Revolution in Russia
Conditions in Imperial Russia • Revolutionary
Trends • Russian Intelligentsia and the Formation of
Political Parties • The Emancipation of Serfs
• The Revolution of 1905 • The Revolutions of
1917 • Interpreting the Russian Revolution
9. Fascism
10. Fascist Italy and Nazi Germany
Fascist Italy • Nazi Germany
11. The Second World War: Analysing its Causes
The Versailles Treaty • Anglo-French Differences • Hitler’s Measures • Policy of Appeasement • Historians’ Interpretation
12. Cultural Transformation in Europe: 1850–1939
Creation of a New Public Sphere • Print Culture in
the 19th Century • Mass Education and Extension
of Literacy in 19th-century Europe • Schools of
Painting • Institutions of Knowledge
Bibliography
Index