Week 2: The Causes of War

Tuesday: The Road to War

Prepare for Class

• Read:
  • Secondary Sources:
    • Martyn Rady, “1914-1918: The War Against Central Europe” in The Middle Kingdoms: A New History of Central Europe (Basic Books, 2023), 414-430. (on Zotero)
  • Primary Sources:
    • General von Moltke on the Schlieffen Plan (1911)
    • A German writer on the necessity of war (1914)
    • A British diplomat reports on Anglo-German tensions (1914)

In Class

• Lecture: The General Outline of the War & Discuss Readings
• Discuss How to Read in this Class.

Thursday: The Outbreak of War

Prepare for Class

• Read:
  • Secondary Sources:
    • Thinking the Causes of World War I? (On Zotero)
  • Primary Sources:
    • The Dual Alliance of 1879
    • The Kaiser’s blank cheque to Austria-Hungary (1914)
    • Britain’s position on the eve of war (1914)
    • The British foreign minister on the Austrian ultimatum (1914)
    • A German diplomat’s efforts to end the July crisis (1914)

In Class

• Lecture on the Causes of War and Discuss Readings

Due Today

• Quiz Question due.