Wars and Betweenness: Big Powers and Middle Europe, 1918-1945

The book explores the diplomatic, military, economic, and cultural engagement of France, Germany, Russia, Britain, Italy, and Japan in the Middle Europe region between the Baltic and the Black Seas during the 1920s and 1930s, highlighting the role of the European Big Powers in regional affairs and the limits of their leverage.

Format: Hardback
Length: 240 pages
Publication date: 15 September 2020
Publisher: Central European University Press

This captivating book delves into a series of crises and conflicts that characterized the 1920s and 1930s in the region spanning from the Baltic to the Black Seas. It provides a comprehensive examination of the diplomatic, military, economic, and cultural interactions of France, Germany, Russia, Britain, Italy, and Japan in this highly volatile area, resulting in significant damage to the fragile post-Versailles political arrangement. By defining the region as Middle Europe, the editors revive the symbolic geography of the time and emphasize its position as a crossroads between the Big Powers and the two World Wars.

The ten case studies in this book combine traditional diplomatic history with a broader focus on the geopolitical aspects of Big Power rivalry. The essays argue that the European Big Powers played a pivotal role in regional affairs by maintaining control over local conflicts and national movements, while also exploiting the region's natural resources and military dependencies. At the same time, they enhanced their prestige through cultural penetration and the cultivation of networks of clientele. However, the authors aim to challenge the simplistic notion that the Big Powers completely dominated the smaller players on the European stage. While the relationship was hierarchical, the essays also reveal how the smaller states manipulated Big Power disagreements, highlighting the limitations of the latter's leverage throughout the 1920s and 1930s.

This book offers valuable insights into the complex dynamics of the interwar period, shedding light on the strategies employed by the European powers and the challenges they faced in a rapidly changing global landscape. It serves as a valuable resource for scholars, students, and anyone interested in understanding the history and politics of this critical era.

Weight: 460g
Dimension: 162 x 236 x 20 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9789633863350