Explore how the 1914 assassination in Sarajevo set off a chain reaction that reshaped the modern world. This course traces how that moment contributed to World War I and its far-reaching consequences. We examine how the war dismantled empires, destabilised societies and created conditions for the Great Depression and World War II. Through clear historical connections, this course reveals how early 20th-century events continue to influence global politics today.

DELIVERY MODE

Face to face

COURSE OUTLINE

This course will consider:

• Murder at Sarajevo
• The Great War: The Industrialization of Death
• Collapse of Empires and Modern Borders
• Economic fracture and the Great Depression
• Ideological and Technological Evolution
• Rise of Fascism and Totalitarianism
• Shift in Global Power Dynamics
• World War II: the "Twenty-Year Armistice"
• The Cold War
• 21st-Century Ripples

LEARNING OUTCOMES

By the end of the course, students should have gained an understanding of:

• How a murder at Sarajevo in June 1914 sparked a world war in August
• How the Great War industrialized mass killing and made redundant 19th century military strategies
• The immediate impact on Europe's imperial dynasty
• The realignment of borders following the treaties made at Versailles
• The Middle East - new boundaries, new nations and the seeds of future conflict
• Economic repercussions in the post-war decade, including indebtedness and the impact on European nations and their response
• The Great Depression
• Ideologies - the rise of fascism and totalitarianism - Russia, Germany and Japan
• US neutrality and failure of the League of Nations
• World War II
• The Cold War and proxy wars
• 21st century developments as tensions flare into war in Europe (Ukraine), the Middle East, and economic competition between the USA and China and OECD countries

COURSE RESOURCES

The Sleepwalkers: How Europe Went to War in 1914 by Christopher Clark.

The Road to Sarajevo by Vladimir Dedijer. A

Misfire: The Sarajevo Assassination and the Winding Road to World War I by Paul Miller-Melamed (2022).

Sarajevo 1914: Sparking the First World War edited by Mark Cornwall.

A Peace to End All Peace by David Fromkin.

1914: The Year the World Ended by Paul Ham.