UHC Western European History II
Age of Empire and the Crisis of Europe
October 21:
Discussion this week will focus on the outbreak of the war and the Illusions that all the sides in Europe held about the war. We will view sections of the Black Adder Episode “Goodbyeee” in class. We will also deal with the Christmas Truce. Here is an audio file of a Great War Veteran talking about the Truce.
For next Tuesday:
For the Origins of the descent into barbarism in the 20th Century:
pp. 32-47 Europe in the Era of Two World Wars
"Barbarism: A Users Guide by Eric Hobsbawm" - Electronic Reserve
For the Origins of the Great War:
"The Breakdown of Europe" - in The Long Fuse - Lafore
"Introduction" to The Pity of War by Niall Ferguson - Electronic Reserve
The Beginning of the Great War:
Go to the BBC History Website to look at an animated map of how the Schlieffen Plan was to work and how it actually worked.
Read about the Legendary 1914 Christmas Truce:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/olmedia/195000/audio/_199768_frank_richards_xmas_1914__1954.ram
Personal Recollections in Real Audio - from the BBC's 80th Anniversary Site. There are also links to "Letters Home." The Christmas truce (BBC) Frank Richards of the Royal Welsh Fusiliers recalls the legendary Christmas truce of 1914. He says that as the Germans came over, the British threw off their equipment and went out to meet them, shaking hands and sharing rations.(1954)
For next Thursday:
Recommended Resources for understanding the impact of the Great War.
Images and newsreel - Real Audio from the BBC and the Imperial War Museum - Very moving video.
Archive radio interviews - "There was nothing but brown earth, shell holes and death"
From the BBC
Listen to The Soldiers Stories
Go to BBC History Website to view Short Videos capturing live testimony, video and poetry dealing with the different periods of the war.
BE SURE TO WATCH ALL OF THEM BEFORE THURSDAY!
A WARNING-SOME OF THESE WILL BE VERY DISTURBING.
Print out and keep the following.
Timeline of Events leading to the Great War.
Full Timeline of the Great War - from Trenches on the Web
Casualty Figures of the Great War - from Trenches on the Web
Recommended:
For more information on the Great War go to the The Great War: 80 years on - BBC Site
October 23: No class as I will be in Belfast for the 4 days - Since there is no class on Thursday the 23rd I have created a PowerPoint and MP4 File with a voice over for you to download, listen to and watch. Put your cursor over the link and then right click and choose "save as" and then save to your hard drive. Do not try to open through your browser.
NOTE: This will be posted by October 20.
For October 28
Listen to Niall Ferguson discuss why W.W.I was the century's worst war and why he blames Great Britain for prolonging the war.
Make sure you have read for October 28:
Lafore Chapter 6 “The Third Man Falls Sick.” - really understand pages 188-194
Lafore Chapter 7: "The Breakdown of Europe"