Author Description
The First World War did not end in Central Europe in November 1918. The armistices marked the creation of the Second Polish Republic and the first shot of the Central European Civil War which raged from 1918 to 1921. The fallen German, Russian, and Austrian Empires left in their wake lands with peoples of mixed nationalities and ethnicities. These lands soon became battle grounds and the ethno-political violence that ensued forced those living within them to decide on their national identity. Civil War in Central Europe seeks to challenge previous notions that such conflicts which occurred between the First and Second World Wars were isolated incidents and argues that they should be considered as part of a European war; a war which transformed Poland into a nation.
Menrva's Summary
THE THESIS
This book investigates the violent transition of Central Europe from the collapse of the German, Russian, and Austrian Empires into the formation of the Second Polish Republic. Author Jochen Böhler, a historian specializing in 20th-century European conflict, utilizes primary archival sources and regional records to argue that the localized conflicts between 1918 and 1921 were not isolated incidents, but rather a cohesive, transformative civil war that defined the modern Polish nation.
THE SCOPE MAP
What You Will Find
- Analysis of the power vacuum left by the collapse of three major empires
- Examination of ethno-political violence and the forced formation of national identities
- Detailed study of the geopolitical restructuring of Central Europe from 1918 to 1921
Scope Limits
- The text does not provide a comprehensive military history of all individual skirmishes
- The analysis focuses primarily on the Polish experience rather than the entirety of the post-war European continent
THE AUTHORITY PERSPECTIVE
Historians and scholars of the interwar period frequently cite this work for its rigorous challenge to the traditional narrative of a peaceful post-1918 Europe. Experts highlight the text as a significant contribution to understanding the brutal, often overlooked conflicts that shaped the borders and identities of modern Central European states.
Page Count:
267
Publication Date:
2018-01-01
Publisher:
OUP Oxford
ISBN-10:
0192513338
ISBN-13:
9780192513335
History
20th Century
Modern History
Political History
Europe central
European History
Poland
Military History
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