Modern European War and Society: The Napoleonic Wars to World War II

Catalog description

This course is organized around three conflicts: the Napoleonic Wars, World War I, and World War II. As we study them, we'll discuss the evolution and impact of total war in order to understand how societies work in wartime and how these conflicts have shaped Europe. In our exploration of each war, we examine a range of participants from international alliances to individual soldiers and to civilians involved in the conflict. Total war, by its nature, incorporates most elements of society, so we will spend time looking at the homefronts as well as the battlefronts. We will survey the conflicts as a whole, but also devote time to some special events or elements. For example, we will look at the battle of Somme during the portion of the course dedicated to World War I. We will also study some of the art that arose out of the conflict. The core of the class will be lectures, but we will engage in some discussion almost every day and there are some classes that will be dedicated to discussion. Course meets the History major requirements for Group II.