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  • Textbook
  • © 1971

The Origins of the Second World War

Editors:

  1. E. M. Robertson

    1. University of London, UK

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Table of contents (14 chapters)

  1. Front Matter

    Pages i-vii
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  3. The Historiography of World War II

    • T. Desmond Williams
    Pages 36-64

  5. A. J. P. Taylor, Hitler and the War

    • H. R. Trevor-Roper
    Pages 83-99

  6. How to Quote: Exercises for Beginners

    • A. J. P. Taylor, H. R. Trevor-Roper
    Pages 100-104

  7. Some Origins of the Second World War

    • T. W. Mason
    Pages 105-135

  8. War Origins Again

    • A. J. P. Taylor
    Pages 136-141

  9. Critics of the Taylor View of History

    • C. Robert Cole
    Pages 142-157

  15. Pearl Harbor and the Revisionists

    • Robert H. Ferrell
    Pages 272-292

  16. Back Matter

    Pages 293-312
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About this book

This collection of essays deals with some of the problems posed by the origins of World War II. Was World War II part of a developing world crisis or should it be seen purely in a European context? Before 1960 general historical opinion held that World War I 'broke out', World War II was 'precipitated'. Fritz Fischer's and A.J.P Taylor's challenge to this thesis caused a controversy which made it impossible to isolate the causes of the two World Wars.

Whether Hitler was an opportunist or a planner (or both) is discussed in a series of articles, the introduction to which considers the irrational element in Hitler's character and the contradictions in his policy. One author presents Hitler's attitude towards Japan and offers reasons why there was so little collusion between Germany and Japan before the end of 1937. Readers are introduced to the ideas of both American and Japanese writers as to the causes of the 'China Incident' of July 1937 and its influence on European politics.

Other topics presented include Mussolini's role as an 'icebreaker' for Hitler; Chamberlain's policy of appeasement; the Rome Agreements of 1935 which caused a rift between Britain and France over Ethiopia; Hitler's attitude towards Japan; Roosevelt's movement of the U.S. Fleet; the defeat of France; the Japanese occupation of Indo-China; and other key issues. A plea for historians of the former belligerents to meet periodically in small groups to discuss research concludes this volume.
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Keywords

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Editors and Affiliations

  • University of London, UK

    E. M. Robertson

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About the editor

ESMONDE M. ROBERTSON, is Lecturer in History at the University of Edinburgh and before that he was a Research Fellow at the Institut für Zeitgeschichte. He is the author of Hitler's Pre-war Policy and Military Plans (1963).
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Bibliographic Information

  • Book Title: The Origins of the Second World War

  • Editors: E. M. Robertson

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-349-15416-6

  • Publisher: Red Globe Press London

  • eBook Packages: Palgrave History Collection, History (R0)

  • Copyright Information: Macmillan Publishers Limited 1971

  • Hardcover ISBN: 978-0-333-03982-3Due: 21 January 1971

  • Edition Number: 1

  • Number of Pages: VII, 320

  • Additional Information: Previously published under the imprint Palgrave

  • Topics: History of World War II and the Holocaust

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