Out of Ashes : A New History of Europe in the Twentieth Century

A Sweeping History Of Twentieth-century Europe, Out Of Ashes Tells The Story Of An Era Of Unparalleled Violence And Barbarity Yet Also Of Humanity, Prosperity, And Promise. Konrad Jarausch Describes How The European Nations Emerged From The Nineteenth Century With High Hopes For Continued Material Progress And Proud Of Their Imperial Command Over The Globe, Only To Become Embroiled In The Bloodshed Of World War I, Which Brought An End To Their Optimism And Gave Rise To Competing Democratic, Communist, And Fascist Ideologies. He Shows How The 1920s Witnessed Renewed Hope And A Flourishing Of Modernist Art And Literature, But How The Decade Ended In Economic Collapse And Gave Rise To A Second, More Devastating World War And Genocide On An Unprecedented Scale. Jarausch Further Explores How Western Europe Surprisingly Recovered Due To American Help And Political Integration. Finally, He Examines How The Cold War Pushed The Divided Continent To The Brink Of Nuclear Annihilation, And How The Unforeseen Triumph Of Liberal Capitalism Came To Be Threatened By Islamic Fundamentalism, Global Economic Crisis, And An Uncertain Future. A Stunning Achievement, Out Of Ashes Explores The Paradox Of The European Encounter With Modernity In The Twentieth Century, Shedding New Light On Why It Led To Cataclysm, Inhumanity, And Self-destruction, But Also Social Justice, Democracy, And Peace-- Introduction: The European Paradox -- Part I: Promise Of Progress, 1900-1929 -- 1. Global Domination -- 2. Breakdown Of Peace -- 3. Waging Total War -- 4. Bolshevik Revolution -- 5. Democratic Hopes -- 6. Fascist Alternative -- 7. Modernist Provocations -- Part Ii: Descent Into Self-destruction, 1929-45 -- 8. Devastating Depression -- 9. Stalinist Modernization -- 10. Hitler's Volksgemeinschaft -- 11. Unleashing World War Ii -- 12. Axis Conquest -- 13. Nazi Holocaust -- 14. Bitter Victory -- Part Iii: Surprising Recovery, 1945-73 -- 15. Democratic Renewal -- 16. Dictating Communism -- 17. Cold War Crises -- 18. Disappointing Decolonization -- 19. Economic Integration -- 20. Pop And Prosperity -- 21. Planning Social Reform -- Part Iv: Confronting Globalization, 1973-2000 -- 22. Revolt Against Modernity -- 23. Post-industrial Transition -- 24. Return To Detente -- 25. Peaceful Revolution -- 26. Transforming The East -- 27. Global Challenges -- 28. Prospects For The Twenty-first Century -- Postscript: A Chastened Europe. Konrad H. Jarausch. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. A sweeping history of twentieth-century Europe that examines its unprecedented destruction—and abiding promise A sweeping history of twentieth-century Europe, Out of Ashes tells the story of an era of unparalleled violence and barbarity yet also of humanity, prosperity, and promise. Konrad Jarausch describes how the European nations emerged from the nineteenth century with high hopes for continued material progress and proud of their imperial command over the globe, only to become embroiled in the bloodshed of World War I, which brought an end to their optimism and gave rise to competing democratic, communist, and fascist ideologies. He shows how the 1920s witnessed renewed hope and a flourishing of modernist art and literature, but how the decade ended in economic collapse and gave rise to a second, more devastating world war and genocide on an unprecedented scale. Jarausch further explores how Western Europe surprisingly recovered due to American help and political integration. Finally, he examines how the Cold War pushed the divided continent to the brink of nuclear annihilation, and how the unforeseen triumph of liberal capitalism came to be threatened by Islamic fundamentalism, global economic crisis, and an uncertain future. A gripping narrative, Out of Ashes explores the paradox of the European encounter with modernity in the twentieth century, shedding new light on why it led to cataclysm, inhumanity, and self-destruction, but also social justice, democracy, and peace. A history of twentieth-century Europe, this book tells the story of an era of unparalleled violence and barbarity - yet also of humanity, prosperity, and promise. The author describes how European nations emerged from the nineteenth century with high hopes for continued material progress and proud of their imperial command over the globe, only to become embroiled in the bloodshed of World War I, which brought an end to their optimism and gave rise to competing democratic, communist, and fascist ideologies. The book shows how the 1920s witnessed renewed hope and a flourishing of modernist art and literature, but also how the decade ended in economic collapse and gave rise to a second, more devastating world war and genocide on an unprecedented scale. The author further explores how Western Europe surprisingly recovered due to American help and political integration. Finally, the author examines how the Cold War pushed the divided continent to the brink of nuclear annihilation, and how the unforeseen triumph of liberal capitalism came to be threatened by Islamic fundamentalism, global economic crisis, and an uncertain future. This book explores the paradox of the European encounter with modernity in the twentieth century, shedding new light on why it led to cataclysm, inhumanity, and self-destruction, but also social justice, democracy, and peace.--description provided by publisher