This last century of European history is situated between a violent and authoritarian past and the dawn of a more democratic and peaceful period--an era that may represent the future. Written in a vivid and accessible style, A History of Europe in the Twentieth Century examines the continent's descent into the turmoil of two world wars, the tense cold war standoff between the victors, and finally the beginning of a more tranquil and egalitarian age. Rather than viewing Europe's history from an outdated perspective colored by cold war ideology, Eric Dorn Brose discusses these topics from a contemporary point of view, looking backward at the total impact of major events on the European world.
A History of Europe in the Twentieth Century is organized chronologically around five main themes:
* war and the quest for alternatives
* ethnic and racial belligerency and the effort to create harmony
* authoritarianism and the struggle for democracy
* technological revolutions and systems
* elite and popular culture
This thematic approach allows students to focus on separate specific aspects of the history of this troubled century, while striving for a composite view. Brose also dedicates special subsections of the text to extensive discussions of the peace movement, gender relations, the Holocaust, cultural developments, the rise of the EU, and today's terrorist threats. Each chapter begins with a vignette related to chapter themes and subject matter. There is also a historiographical component to A History of Europe in the Twentieth Century, making it ideal for upper-level undergraduate and graduate courses in twentieth-century Europe.