Histrorians Flashcards
(12 cards)
Allan Bullock on the Causes of WWI
Saw WWI as the result of Germany’s long-standing authoritarian and militarist tradition, rather than a sudden break with the past.
Allan Bullock on the Paris Peace Treaties
Argued the Treaty of Versailles failed to restrain Germany and became a propaganda tool for Hitler, fueling German resentment.
Allan Bullock on the Successor States
Believed the successor states created by Versailles were unstable and vulnerable to fascism due to weak institutions and ethnic tensions.
A.J.P. Taylor on the Causes of WWI
Believed WWI was not planned; it occurred due to miscalculation and rigid alliance systems—an accidental war, not a deliberate one.
A.J.P. Taylor on the Paris Peace Treaties
Criticized the treaties, especially Versailles, as short-sighted and vindictive, setting Europe up for future conflict.
A.J.P. Taylor on the Successor States
Argued they were artificial constructions doomed by ethnic divisions and political fragility.
Ian Kershaw on the Causes of WWI
Did not focus heavily on WWI’s origins but emphasized how it created the conditions (economic collapse, resentment) that led to Hitler’s rise.
Ian Kershaw on the Paris Peace Treaties
Stressed that Hitler exploited Versailles as a tool to mobilize nationalist support by emphasizing humiliation and injustice.
Ian Kershaw on the Successor States
Believed post-Versailles states like Austria and Hungary were politically weak and susceptible to fascist influence and Nazi expansion.
Richard J. Evans on the Causes of WWI
Argued that German militarism and escalation were central but within a broader context of European imperialism and alliances.
Richard J. Evans on the Paris Peace Treaties
Claimed Versailles was harsh but not uniquely unfair; German resentment was amplified by nationalist propaganda and the ‘stab-in-the-back’ myth.
Richard J. Evans on the Successor States
Viewed them as fragile but not doomed; their instability came from both internal ethnic strife and external economic pressures.
