The spectre of war : international communism and the origins of World War II / Jonathan Haslam.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Haslam, Jonathan, author.

Series:

Princeton Studies in International History and Politics

Princeton Studies in International History and Politics ; v.184

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Communism--Europe--History--20th century.

Communism.

Propaganda, Communist--Europe--History--20th century.

Propaganda, Communist.

Social stratification--Europe--History--20th century.

Social stratification.

Europe--Politics and government--20th century.

Europe.

Europe--History--20th century.

Europe--Foreign relations--20th century.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (1 online resource 501 p..)

Place of Publication:

Princeton, New Jersey : Princeton University Press, [2021]

Summary:

A bold new history showing that the fear of Communism was a major factor in the outbreak of World War IIThe Spectre of War looks at a subject we thought we knew—the roots of the Second World War—and upends our assumptions with a masterful new interpretation. Looking beyond traditional explanations based on diplomatic failures or military might, Jonathan Haslam explores the neglected thread connecting them all: the fear of Communism prevalent across continents during the interwar period. Marshalling an array of archival sources, including records from the Communist International, Haslam transforms our understanding of the deep-seated origins of World War II, its conflicts, and its legacy.Haslam offers a panoramic view of Europe and northeast Asia during the 1920s and 1930s, connecting fascism’s emergence with the impact of the 1917 Bolshevik Revolution. World War I had economically destabilized many nations, and the threat of Communist revolt loomed large in the ensuing social unrest. As Moscow supported Communist efforts in France, Spain, China, and beyond, opponents such as the British feared for the stability of their global empire, and viewed fascism as the only force standing between them and the Communist overthrow of the existing order. The appeasement and political misreading of Nazi Germany and fascist Italy that followed held back the spectre of rebellion—only to usher in the later advent of war.Illuminating ideological differences in the decades before World War II, and the continuous role of pre- and postwar Communism, The Spectre of War provides unprecedented context for one of the most momentous calamities of the twentieth century.

Contents:

Cover

Contents

Preface

Introduction

1. Crossroads to World Revolution, 1917-1920

2. Europe at the Brink

3. Subverting Great Britain and Its Empire

4. The Manchurian Fiasco, 1931

5. Stalin's Gamble on German Nationalism

6. The Impact of Hitler

7. Italy Breaks Out

8. The Paradox of the Popular Front

9. Spain and the Schism of Europe

10. A United Front against Japan

11. The Appeasement of Germany, 1937-1939

12. War, 1939-1940

13. The Invasion of the Soviet Union

Conclusions

Notes

Bibliography

Index

Notes:

Description based upon print version of record.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Description based on print version record.

ISBN:

9780691219110

0691219117

OCLC:

1245670754