Outside of politics, did European society engage in civil wars? With the exceptions of Ireland and Finland, I would have to say that, for the period between the end ofthe Russian Civil War and the beginning of the Spanish Civil War, European society did not engage in civilwars. Given the presence of Ireland and Finland …
Tag Archives: World War II
The Slide to War: Versailles and the Outbreak of War
Did the Treaty of Versailles lead directly to the outbreak of war in 1939? I think it’s safe to say that a direct line cannot be drawn from the Treaty of Versailles to the outbreak of war in 1939. Of course, the events are related, and it’s unlikely that Hitler, largely embodying the proximate cause …
Continue reading “The Slide to War: Versailles and the Outbreak of War”
Jewish Refugees in the Kresy: Soviet Loyalty Testing
When Nazi Germany invaded Poland on September 1, 1939, a large number of Jews fled east. When the Red Army invaded Poland from the east sixteen days later, these Jewish refugees found themselves under Soviet rule. By the time the border was formalized between the Soviet and German zones of occupation, thousands of Jewish refugees …
Continue reading “Jewish Refugees in the Kresy: Soviet Loyalty Testing”
The War in 1943: Allied Victories and Outproduction
While I am cautious to state that I do not believe that the whole of the Allied victory in World War II can be attributed to a handful of causes, I do nevertheless believe that two of the factors Richard Overy lists in his book were more decisive than the others: the Soviet victories at …
Continue reading “The War in 1943: Allied Victories and Outproduction”
WWII: Race and the Pacific War
To determine the extent to which racial identity played in a role in combat in the Pacific theater in World War II, it is necessary to examine the question from both sides of the conflict, i.e., from the standpoint of both the Japanese and the Allies. On the latter point, it is necessary to consider …
Strategic Bombing: A Moral Hazard?
To say that the Allied campaign of “strategic bombing” during World War II was controversial is ans understatement. With the exception of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, it might be the single most debated purely military aspect of the war. While the initial reactions to the strategic bombings of Germany might have been …
Japanese Victories from China to Midway
Understanding why the Japanese were so successful in the early years of World War II requires a thorough exploration of the several campaigns in which Japan was involved during that period. Although period began with occupation of and campaigns against China, later actions undertaken against the European anti-Axis countries and finally the United States had …
Radar vs. Signals Intelligence in British Successes
I feel that the intelligence work at Bletchley Park was more important to the U.K. success during 1940 than radar was. Essentially, I feel this way because radar, while certainly helpful, could only provide so much of an advantage. For instance, although Murray and Millett indicate an advantage for the U.K., at least in submarine …
Continue reading “Radar vs. Signals Intelligence in British Successes”
Early War Victories of Nazi Germany
Understanding why the first nine months of the war went so well for Germany has to be broken down into constituent parts. The victories of the period are essentially three: over Poland, over Scandinavia, and over France and the Low Countries. The evidence suggests that the reasons for each of these three victories were quite …
Austria and Appeasement
First discussion post for HIS-241: World War II — several to follow. ==== I’ve been lucky to have come into this course having just finished HIS-240: World War I and HIS-220: Modern Europe before that. Therefore, I’ve considered the matters of WWI and appeasement fairly intensively and quite recently. Much of the discussion of appeasement …
Inevitable Historicity 