First published 2014
Margaret MacMillan examines the forces that transformed Europe from confident prosperity in 1900 to devastating war by 1914. She traces the period from the early 19th century through the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, analyzing the political transformations, technological advances, and human failures that made conflict inevitable. MacMillan focuses on the key figures who held Europe's fate in their hands: impulsive Kaiser Wilhelm II, Austria-Hungary's Emperor Franz Joseph, Czar Nicholas II, and Britain's King Edward VII. These rulers, many connected by family ties, failed to halt the escalating hostilities despite warnings from peace advocates like Alfred Nobel, Bertha von Suttner, and Winston Churchill. The author reveals how diplomatic missteps and state decisions by a powerful few determined the destiny of entire nations. This award-winning analysis connects the threads between events and personalities to show how Europe sleepwalked into a war that would kill millions and reshape the continent.
Genres: history, 20th-century, non-fiction, military-history, world-war-i, academic
Vibes: thought-provoking
Setting: AUSTRIA-HUNGARY, BRITAIN, EUROPE, RUSSIA
Period: 19TH CENTURY, EARLY 20TH CENTURY
728 pages · Paperback · Globo Livros