070202 SE Britain and Global Warfare, 1914-18, 1939-45 (2012S)

This seminar deals with the participation of Great Britain (and its empire) in the two great wars of the twentieth century. Both conflicts had their origin in continental Europe, but Britain was never primarily interested in the mainland, rather in her own territories world-wide. However, England or Britain always had an interest in ensuring that no one power would gain supremacy on the Continent and intervened militarily on several occasions to contain the expansionism of absolute states like France or Spain, and later Germany. The crucial strategic starting position for Britain was that no hostile power should control the Low Countries (Holland and Belgium), more specifically their coastal regions. With a continental enemy controlling the coastline of northern France or Belgium, Britain was threatened directly: by a direct invasion or by the dangers to British shipping in the Channel and Britain’s trade routes, the basis for her wealth.

Britain’s entry into the First World War had its roots in the breach of Belgian neutrality by the invading German army. The war was won and lost on the Western Front in northern France and Belgium, and the “side-shows”, operations against the enemy in the Middle East, were of secondary importance. The seminar will examine British military strategy, major offensives, the lives of the soldiers, new military technology and the political and social situation in Britain itself. Britain’s world role in the interwar period will also be examined, especially the origins of the Second World War from a British perspective. The Second World War was, for Britain, a far more globalised struggle than the first, with major campaigns in North Africa and Asia, and in Europe for shorter periods: 1940, 1943-45. The political leadership during the war, the war on the “home front”, Britain’s early defeats and the British strategic bombing campaign will be given special attention.