Europe: the fall of empires, 1914-97

This course considers the 20th-century concept of empire. The First World War caused the collapse of three empires and produced the pseudo-empires of fascism and Nazism. British and French ‘liberal’ imperialism fought the Second World War but emerged broken and unprepared for the anti-colonialism of the post-war world. This course complements Am7 or can be taken on its own.

The history of the 20th century only fully makes sense when viewed through the prism of Empire. We think we know the familiar stories of the two world wars and the Cold War, yet all too often the central role that Empire played in both is overlooked.

The First World War brought down some European Empires, but it left the British, French and Italians with their colonial possessions, and they soon found that the new world order based on President Wilson’s principles of national self-determination could be turned to suit their own imperial ends. The League of Nations became a new channel through which the Europeans could maintain their global imperial power. The increasingly aggressive stance of the Japanese showed that there was plenty of life in old-style imperialism, while the growth of European fascism proved easily compatible with imperialism, so that when war broke out in Europe in 1939 it was essentially a clash of two models of imperialism.  

In the Second World War, Britain and France’s empires became important areas for political and military manoeuvre after the expulsion of the allies from the European continent in 1940. Both Churchill and De Gaulle had imperial considerations at the front of their minds throughout the war and the Americans found it increasingly difficult to keep the war against Germany free from entanglement in European colonial rivalries.

However, the nature of Empire was changing rapidly. The European colonial powers suffered serious reverses and defeats: the French and some of the British suffered occupation and in some cases, notably in Asia, were reduced to impotence and even slavery. It was a fatal blow for imperial regimes that depended absolutely on an image of innate racial and cultural superiority. But even as the British, Italian and French empires were broken by the war, new empires were emerging, driven by rival ideologies. Nationalism arose in Africa and Asia to challenge and bring down the old colonial rulers, but the Cold War that developed at the same time produced a new form of imperialism into which the old empires, both rulers and ruled, were drawn, whether they liked it or not. 

Learning outcomes

The learning outcomes for this course are:

• Knowledge and understanding of the key events, developments and individuals in the period;
• Deepened understanding of the issues relevant to the period, reached through relevant reading and through debate and discussion in class;
• Construction of reasoned and supported argument in response to questions, based on close and critical reading of the historical literature. 

Classes

1. The Great Imperial War
2. Fascism: a new face of Empire
3. A new Marlborough, a new Napoleon: Churchill v De Gaulle
4. Imperial implosion: the collapse of imperialism
5. The Cold War: a new war of Empires 

Required reading

Abernethy, D. (2002) The Dynamics of Global Dominance: European overseas empires, 1415-1980 (Yale)

Darwin, J. (2008) After Tamerlane: the rise and fall of global empires, 1400-2000 (Penguin)

Typical week: Monday to Friday

For each week of study you select a morning (Am) and an afternoon (Pm) course, each course has five sessions, one each day Monday to Friday. The maximum class size is 25 students. Your weekly courses are complemented by a series of two daily plenary lectures, exploring new ideas in a wide range of disciplines. To add to the learning experience, we are also planning additional evening talks and events.

Evaluation and Academic Credit 

If you are seeking to enhance your own study experience, or earn academic credit from your Cambridge Summer Programme studies at your home institution, you can submit written work for assessment for one or more of your courses. 

Essay questions are set and assessed against the University of Cambridge standard by your Course Director, a list of essay questions can be found in the Course Materials. Essays are submitted two weeks after the end of each course, so those studying for multiple weeks need to plan their time accordingly. There is an evaluation fee of £65 per essay.

For more information about writing essays see Evaluation and Academic Credit.

Certificate of attendance

A certificate of attendance will be sent to you electronically within a week of your courses finishing.