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The Spectre of War

International Communism and the Origins of World War II
  • Jonathan Haslam and Jonathan Haslam
Language: English
Published/Copyright: 2021
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About this book

A bold new history showing that the fear of Communism was a major factor in the outbreak of World War II

The Spectre of War looks at a subject we thought we knew—the roots of the Second World War—and upends our assumptions with a masterful new interpretation. Looking beyond traditional explanations based on diplomatic failures or military might, Jonathan Haslam explores the neglected thread connecting them all: the fear of Communism prevalent across continents during the interwar period. Marshalling an array of archival sources, including records from the Communist International, Haslam transforms our understanding of the deep-seated origins of World War II, its conflicts, and its legacy.

Haslam offers a panoramic view of Europe and northeast Asia during the 1920s and 1930s, connecting fascism’s emergence with the impact of the 1917 Bolshevik Revolution. World War I had economically destabilized many nations, and the threat of Communist revolt loomed large in the ensuing social unrest. As Moscow supported Communist efforts in France, Spain, China, and beyond, opponents such as the British feared for the stability of their global empire, and viewed fascism as the only force standing between them and the Communist overthrow of the existing order. The appeasement and political misreading of Nazi Germany and fascist Italy that followed held back the spectre of rebellion—only to usher in the later advent of war.

Illuminating ideological differences in the decades before World War II, and the continuous role of pre- and postwar Communism, The Spectre of War provides unprecedented context for one of the most momentous calamities of the twentieth century.

Author / Editor information

Jonathan Haslam is the George F. Kennan Professor in the School of Historical Studies at the Institute for Advanced Study. He is a fellow of the British Academy, a fellow of Corpus Christi College, Cambridge, and professor emeritus of the history of international relations at the University of Cambridge. His books include Near and Distant Neighbors and Russia’s Cold War. He divides his time between Princeton, New Jersey and Cambridge, England.

Reviews

"

One of the year’s most impressive pieces of research.

"---Simon Heffer, A Telegraph Best New History Book --- "2021’s most impressive work of history pulls together hidden threads to show how fear of Bolshevism poisoned international relations between the wars." --- "

Drawing on sources in English, French, Russian, German, Italian, Spanish and Swedish from archives across Europe (and beyond), The Spectre of War is full of fascinating stories that offer a unique glimpse into the tormented world on the eve of the Second World War. Elegantly crafted, it offers the reader the knowledge of a scholar who has worked in the field for decades.

"---David Motadel, Times Literary Supplement --- "Anyone interested in global tensions in the interwar period will learn much from the latest book of Jonathan Haslam. . . . He draws on a lifetime of expertise on the Soviet Union and Russian foreign policy to explain how fear of communism permeated international relations after 1917."---Tony Barber, Financial Times --- "It may be a cliché to say this is a book every intelligent person ought to read, but it really is."---Simon Heffer, The Telegraph --- "Books of this quality and significance are rare. Haslam has mined the archives of all the main players to produce an excellent, game-changing thesis that is as convincing as it is original."---Saul David, The Times --- "A Telegraph Best Book of the Year 2021" --- "A Financial Times Best History Book of the Year 2021"

Topics

  • Publicly Available

    Frontmatter

    i
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    contents

    v
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  • Publicly Available

    Preface

    vii
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    Introduction

    1
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    1 Crossroads to World Revolution, 1917–1920

    14
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    2 Europe at the Brink

    28
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    3 Subverting Great Britain and Its Empire

    61
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    4 The Manchurian Fiasco, 1931

    85
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    5 Stalin’s Gamble on German Nationalism

    104
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    6 The Impact of Hitler

    122
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    7 Italy Breaks Out

    160
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    8 The Paradox of the Popular Front

    178
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    9 Spain and the Schism of Europe

    205
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    10 A United Front against Japan

    245
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    11 The Appeasement of Germany, 1937–1939

    258
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    12 War, 1939–1940

    326
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    13 The Invasion of the Soviet Union

    368
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    Conclusions

    380
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    Notes

    387
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    Bibliography

    449
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    Index

    465
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Publishing information
Pages and Images/Illustrations in book
eBook published on:
July 15, 2021
eBook ISBN:
9780691219110
Pages and Images/Illustrations in book
https://doi.org/10.1515/9780691219110
eBook ISBN: 9780691219110
Keywords for this book
Communist International; Soviet Union; Adolf Hitler; Bolsheviks; Communism; Russians; Revolutionary terror; Foreign policy; On War; Counter-revolutionary; Pogrom; Joseph Stalin; Joachim von Ribbentrop; Fascism; Alarmism; Power politics; Subversion; Undeclared war; War effort; Dynamism (metaphysics); Panzer; War; Military aid; War in the North; Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact; Rebellion; War of aggression; Impracticability; Reign of Terror; The Battle of Britain; Declaration of war; Nazi Germany; American imperialism; Front organization; War of the Second Coalition; Gestapo; Rapprochement; Total war; Communist Party of Germany; Anti-capitalism; Mutual assured destruction; Anti-fascism; Extraterritoriality; Reprisal; Warfare; Nazi Party; Skirmisher; Weapon; Assassination; Military occupation; Foreign Policy; Partisan (military); Fortification; Political geography; Deflation; World War II; Political party; Unilateralism; Political system; Opportunism; Political spectrum; Military threat; Counter-Attack; Radicals (UK); Arthur Ransome; Reichswehr; Invasion; Revolutionary Military Council; Anti-communism; Authoritarianism
Audience(s) for this book
For a non-specialist adult audience
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