The Detroit tribune. (Detroit, Mich.) 1935-1966, 1955-06-25
THE 7o.YEAR HIsroRy-PAckEp YEARS OPERATING
AT THE CLOSE or WORLD WAR -
From the Bookshelf" &C. 5. Menlser)
a. CLOSE or A CHAPTER
BY Joseph Q. Harrison


1e46I9l6, by A. J. p. Taylor. tNsw York snc tonoon'
Oxford University Press. 63s PIP. ST..
II has been suggested and only in part fsesiousy that
the colleges should assign their Ancient History
departments all dealing with events prior TO IVY
Is held that with the end Of the First World War there
came such change the thought action and programs OF
men nations Of the past hiryvs can.
only with difficulty be compared with those during The era
which ended in 1918.
To support this contention many historians point out that
the victory communism in Russia the rise OF fsseism IN
Italy Germany Spain and throughout the Balkans the
eenes Of The United States the worlds most powerful
economic military power the snfieoonal awakening OF
Asia al these SO changed the facts OF national and inter
national life and outlook that the break between prs'ss and
sharp and clear which history records
Nor can be denied that the three decades and half
sometimes they had little relationship TO the dec
AIDES which preceded them.
Yet much there is TO support such Interpretation
OF the worlds history should not clearly. be
carried TOO far No history either 10 born in
VACUUM there important historical event which does
have IFS direct and immediate in prior conditions
n the purpose OF this volume 10 describe those
European conditions OF which the period and his
tory emerged Or rather II the authors intent TO show
which frsnsrsd between the great European
revolutionary year e4s and the end OF World War closed
chapter in Western history which had It's full
thus making Inevitable entirely pattern Of develop
menf.
In brisfss The Struggle for Mastery in Europe le4s
1918" deals with the efforts Of the major European
either maintain the principle Of the balance OF power
among bring about its shift in their individual
favor More specifically describes The gradual formation Of
the BsFrsneh alliance in the face Of an svsrmors power
fol aggressive Germany the slow but steady decline OF
the AusroHunssrisn Empire the influence exercised by
essentially undsvsopsd but potentially mighty Russia the up
hesvss within the Balkans and the almost unPsresivsd
ssnee into industrial sisnfhood Of the United States
This /. done with great knowledge and reliability for
p Taylor Fellow Of MssdsIsn College Oxford, Is rightly
recognized authority modern history As the first In
sxteenvovs series entitled The Oxford History OF Modern
Europe this volume provided the series with distinguished
send-oH
While the author emphasizes that the end OF the 94s-
1918 period with which he deals had OF the expected
did, nonshssss. produce those economic
political forces which, however misvndsrsfood birth
TO phase Of modern history in which living
this for other study OF the ninsfssnth Gen.
fury early portion Of the twentieth 10 requisite for
understanding OF what is occurring in the world today
Indeed although the traditional concept Of balance OF
power with which the author deals may be outmoded no
the uneasy between East and West
between the totaltarsn empire OF communism and the demo-
cratic alliance Of the West and deny that another form OF
power balance has arisen 10 replace the earlier system
Viewed against this fact todsys break with the past seems
startling and sharp and the value OF this volume COM
increased.