World War I: The Tragedy of 1914

The full scope of World War I will be presented over three terms this year, ending in Fall 2025 with the Treaty of Versailles and the far-reaching effects in the Mideast that are still playing out today. This first series will examine the background and events that led to the outbreak of the war. We will look at important factors that influenced the great powers, including nationalism, imperialism, militarism and alliances, as well as the lack of vision, incompetence, and misunderstandings that allowed leaders to blunder their way into a global war. 

Slide lectures on Zoom with time for Q&A. A list of suggested resources will be provided and weekly handouts showing slide bullet points.