Interwar period

In deciding on the Reoccupation of the Rhineland, writes D.C. Watt, Hitler said that he went forward “with the assurance of a sleepwalker...” His practical calculations proved to be “entirely justified.”

F.L. Carsten asks whether Germany has learned the lessons of 1918-1933.

The problems of the mining industry, which led to a General Strike in 1926, writes W.H. Chaloner, epitomised the struggle between capital and labour in twentieth century Britain.

The Field Marshal who had led his country to independence in 1918, writes Oliver Warner, was called upon twice to defend his own creation during the Second World War.

Geoffrey Warner describes a politically polarising event which would later influence the formation of French fascism and the Vichy state.

“We shall now proceed to construct the Socialist order” announced Lenin to the Congress of Soviets early on the morning of November 8th, 1917. He had prepared no blueprint from which to work, and forty years later, writes Ernest Bock, the structure of the Soviet state is very different from that which its founder envisaged.

The decade before the Nazi occupation was a period of bitter division in France, raising questions about the nature of French fascism.

Béla Menczer describes how the last Austrian Emperor strove to regain one of his family’s Kingdoms.

Territorial concessions in Anatolia were promised to the Greeks during the First World War but, writes Cyril Falls, hope of fulfilment was defeated by the resurgent republicans of Turkey.

Stephen Usherwood describes how the crisis of 1926, which silenced the British Press, was a challenge to the broadcasting authorities.