Enrol online now! Overview The First World War was a cataclysmic event. This course examines the international relations before 1914, how the conflict started, the countries who fought the war and their expectations, and assesses the long-term historical significance of the war. Description The First World War was a cataclysmic event in world history. It led to enormous loss of life and tremendous physical damage of towns and cities. This course examines the origins of this terrible conflict. Initially the course will examine the nature of international relations before 1914 and the politics, social structures and economies of the states which were the main participants in the war. Then the course will analyse the specific events which eventually pushed the world into an unprecedented international war. At the outbreak of war we will consider the expectations of the populations of the countries involved and the way in which the brutal reality of the conflict shattered these illusions. Finally we will assess the significance of the First World War in the history of the twentieth century. To what extent do we still live with the consequences of that human tragedy today? Background reading: Joll, James and Martel, Gordon, The Origins of the First World War Mombauer, Annika, The Origins of the First World War: Contoversies and Consenus Stevenson, David, 1914-1918 : The History of the First World War Course aims The aim of the course is to analyse the origins of the First World War and to assess the long-term historical