This book, the second in a two- volume work resulting from a 2018 conference organized by the International Railway History Association (IRHA), examines the relationship between the railways and the First World War from a global theoretical, methodological and geographical perspective.Although the First World War (1914– 1918) has been studied extensively from virtually every angle, the question of the railways has not been the subject of robust historical interest, despite their cr...

This book, the first in a two-volume work resulting from a 2018 conference organised by the International Railway History Association (IRHA), examines the relationship between the railways and the First World War from a global theoretical, methodological and geographical perspective.Although World War I (1914–1918) has been studied extensively from virtually every angle, the question of the railways has not been the subject of robust historical interest, despite their crucial role ...

During the nineteenth century, railway lines spread rapidly across Europe, linking the continent in ways unimaginable to previous generations. By the beginning of the twentieth century the great cities of the continent were linked by a complex and extensive rail network. Yet this high-point of interconnectivity, was abruptly cut-off after 1945, as the Cold War built barriers - both physical and ideological - between east and west. In this volume, leading transport history scholars take a f...

**Finalist for the Pulitzer Prize • Winner of the Council on Foreign Relations Arthur Ross Book Award • One of the New York Times’s 100 Best Books of the 21st Century“Impressive . . . Mr. Judt writes with enormous authority.” —The Wall Street Journal“Magisterial . . . It is, without a doubt, the most comprehensive, authoritative, and yes, readable postwar history.” —The Boston Globe**Almost a decade in the making, this much-anticipated grand histor...

The award-winning author of Target Switzerland uses "a wide breadth of research to attempt to answer why Switzerland escaped the Nazi onslaught" ( Daly History Blog).While surrounded by the Axis powers in World War II, Switzerland remained democratic and, unlike most of Europe, never succumbed to the siren songs and threats of the Nazi goliath.This book tells the story with emphasis on two voices rarely heard. One voice is that of scores of ...

To the Edge of the World is an adventure in travel -- full of extraordinary personalities, more than a century of explosive political, economic, and cultural events, and almost inconceivable feats of engineering. Christian Wolmar passionately recounts the improbable origins of the Trans-Siberian railroad, the vital artery for Russian expansion that spans almost 6,000 miles and seven time zones from Moscow to Vladivostok. The world's longest train route took a decade to build -- in...

The changes in Polish life, culture, economics, and development have been remarkable. And the pace of change shows little sign of abating. Through twenty-five years of post-Communist transformation and ten years as a member of the European Union, some Polish cities, like Warsaw, KrakÓw, Poznan, and Wroclaw, have experienced an economic renaissance thanks largely to direct foreign investment, EU funds, and an influx of tourists. Much of the countryside, and cities like LÓdz and Lublin, howe...

Who are the Ukrainians? What are the key historical and cultural events that have shaped them? What are their values, and what challenges do they face today?Ukraine is a country of paradoxes. The people are proud of their roots, yet reticent about their recent past; the country participates in international space programs and produces the world's largest aircraft, but still lives in a world rich with superstition. The Ukrainian way of life is a mix of the old Sovie...

Culture Smart! provides essential information on attitudes, beliefs and behavior in different countries, ensuring that you arrive at your destination aware of basic manners, common courtesies, and sensitive issues. These concise guides tell you what to expect, how to behave, and how to establish a rapport with your hosts. This inside knowledge will enable you to steer clear of embarrassing gaffes and mistakes, feel confident in unfamiliar situations, and develop trust, friendships, and suc...

The twentieth century in Europe witnessed some of the most brutish episodes in history. Yet it also saw incontestable improvements in the conditions of existence for most inhabitants of the continent - from rising living standards and dramatically increased life expectancy, to the virtual elimination of illiteracy, and the advance of women, ethnic minorities, and homosexuals to greater equality of respect and opportunity. It was a century of barbarism and civilization, of cruelty and tende...

How a German city became Polish after World War IIWith the stroke of a pen at the Potsdam Conference following the Allied victory in 1945, Breslau, the largest German city east of Berlin, became the Polish city of Wroclaw. Its more than six hundred thousand inhabitants—almost all of them ethnic Germans—were expelled and replaced by Polish settlers from all parts of prewar Poland. Uprooted examines the long-term psychological and cultural consequences of fo...

The three so-called ‘Baltic states’ – Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania – are commonly regarded by outsiders as a single entity. But in reality they are quite distinct countries, each one struggling to find its own place within Europe while preserving a personal identity and local traditions.Baltic Facades presents a radical new reading of these states, with a fresh and up-to-date examination of their individual politics, economies and social and cultural trends. By dispelling th...