European History Commons^™

The Eisenhower Administration And Allied Relations During The Suez Canal Crisis Of 1956, Gregory D. Colburn

History Theses & Dissertations

The Suez Canal Crisis of 1956 illustrated a potentially harmful dichotomy in Dwight D. Eisenhower's foreign policy goals. Eisenhower relied on the support of America's major allies, the British and the French to resist Communist influence throughout the world. In addition, Eisenhower felt it necessary to "win over" the developing nations of the world by supporting their anti-colonialist struggles and trying to bring the rising tide of nationalism into line with American policy. These two goals came into conflict during the Suez Crisis. By using various governmental sources as well as the memoirs of key figures in the governments of …

Nutrition And The Early-Medieval Diet, Kathy L. Pearson

History Faculty Publications

The food supply of the temperate lands of early-medieval western Europe, and the ways in which its peoples dealt with the central problem of feeding themselves, has been subjected to a variety of interpretations in recent years. Vern Bullough and Cameron Campbell's study of the medieval diet and female longevity concluded that early-medieval women suffered from iron deficiencies triggered jointly by poor nutrition and frequent childbearing and that these deficiencies contributed substantially to their average early age of death. Ann Hagen's overview of Anglo-Saxon patterns of food production and consumption suggested that most of the early English population routinely lived …

The Resurgence Of The Wehrmacht On The Western Front In The Fall Of 1944, Aaron S. Hamilton

History Theses & Dissertations

The resurgence of the Wehrmacht on the western front in the fall of 1944 was the product of the German Army High Command's attempt to overcome the severe effects of attrition by institutionalizing fanaticism and generating extreme self-sacrifice among its soldiers. The nature, form, and purpose of the Wehrmacht's resurgence in the west has never been fully explained and only examined in the context of operational histories. The Ardennes offensive has traditionally been used in the operational histories of the Allied campaign in Europe to demonstrate the Wehrmacht's physical ability to reorganize weapons, equipment and personnel effectively. The counter offensive, …

Maintaining The Neutrality: Soviet-Japanese Relations, 1941-1945, Michael Shawn Blevins

History Theses & Dissertations

In April 1941, the Soviet Union and Japan concluded a five-year neutrality pact. Before the end of the year both nations were embroiled in bitter wars against each other' allies, but not against one another. How did Soviet.— Japanese wartime relations preserve this neutrality that lasted nearly four years during World War II? The answers are provided through analysis of both Soviet and Japanese foreign policies while also considering each nation's prospects for winning the war. To this end, timely MAGIC and ULTRA signal intelligence intercepts provide key insights into each government's intentions. Thus, the Special Research History and the …

Partnership Of Necessity: The Anglo-American Intelligence Relationship From 1921 To 1942, H. Douglas Brooks Iii

History Theses & Dissertations

Throughout the period between the two world wars, Great Britain and the United States were embroiled in an imperialistic rivalry focused heavily in East Asia. The strong sense of competition and mistrust between the navies of the two nations hindered the development of close cooperation as war became imminent in the late 1930s. This state of affairs encompassed every aspect of naval operations, including signal intelligence whose officials sought to forge a working relationship beneficial to both countries in the opening days of the Second world War. Old prejudices and outdated perceptions of national interest were difficult to overcome even …

Out Of The Air: The Role Of Communications Intelligence In The Strategic Bombing Campaign Against The German Oil Industry And Transportation System In World War Ii, Darrell Nolen

History Theses & Dissertations

During World War II communications intelligence (ULTRA) was used to evaluate the effectiveness of the Allied strategic bombing campaign against the German oil industry and transportation system. In the case of the oil campaign communications intelligence provided confirmation of serious damage inflicted on the German war economy. This conformed nicely to the prewar American doctrine of precision daylight bombardment of critical nodes of an enemy industrial system. The intention of this policy was to cause the collapse of the enemy's military capability. The campaign against the German transportation system did not fit into this doctrinal framework as precisely; consequently, it …

Allied Communications Intelligence And The Monsoon Group, 1943-1945, Christopher G. Stuart

History Theses & Dissertations

The critical weakness of trade between Germany and Japan during the Second World War was exposed in 1943, when, after all other methods had failed, the Axis powers resorted to submarines as their main means of transportation. The Allied powers succeeded in disrupting the submarines, which the Germans called the Monsoon group. The Allies used communications intelligence to disrupt the Monsoon group in the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. Recently released United States Armed Forces LTRA decrypts, MAGIC messages and their summaries, and Selected Research Histories (SRH) provide the previously top secret details.

The Atlantic Conference At Argentia (9-12 August 1941) The Anglo-American Agreement On The Defeat Of Nazi Germany, John Michael Sweeney

Graduate Program in International Studies Theses & Dissertations

The meeting at Argentina, Newfoundland, between Prime Minister Winston Churchill and President Franklin D. Roosevelt in August 1941 was the first "summit" conference of the Second World War. It set the stage for the United States' entry into the war on the side of Great Britain and produced the Atlantic Charter, the noble statement of Western war aims. This study describes how the Nazi threat to England and the Atlantic brought the two democracies together into a de facto alliance before the United States formally entered the war. Its central theme is the "strategy of provocation" whereby President Roosevelt, certain …

The Ottoman Reaction To The Annexation Of Bosnia-Herzegovina In 1908 By Austria-Hungary, Yücel Yanikdağ

History Theses & Dissertations

This thesis investigates the reaction of the Ottoman Government and people to the annexation of Bosnia- Herzegovina in 1908. The people organized a boycott of Austro-Hungarian goods and services. The Government, under the Grand Vizierate of Kamil Pasha, was able to use the boycott and the support of the other Powers to drive a hard bargain with Austria. In the end, Austria paid T£2,500,000 and offered economic concessions in return for the Ottoman recognition of the annexation. This study makes use of published German, Austrian, British, and Turkish documents as well as unpublished archival documents.

Political Interference In Military Operations During The Anglo-Zulu War Of 1879, Thomas Max Lansford

History Theses & Dissertations

This work examines the degree and effect of the reluctant cooperation of the British government and its colonial agencies with the British army during the Anglo-Zulu War of 1879. While it is clear that there was no civilian conspiracy to interfere with the army, it is also clear that several of the policies of the government and its colonial agencies hindered army operations. The study is based on the War Office narrative of military operations, on Colonial and War Office correspondence, and on the memoirs and diaries of several participants.

Urban Identity And Transitional Politics: The Transformation Of Political Allegiance Inside Amiens Before And After The City's 1594 Capitulation To Henry Iv, Annette S. Finley-Croswhite

History Faculty Publications

Examines the reasons for the rise and fall of the Catholic League in Amiens, France, between 1588 and 1594. The league was a powerful group of wealthy lawyers, merchants, and churchmen opposed to the king concerned over the loss of urban privileges, regional loyalties, and the presence of the king's clients within the city. In 1594 the city capitulated to Henry IV, marking the beginning of the league's decline.

The Riga Mission: The Reports Of The First American Outpost On The Soviet Border, 1924-1933, Jeffrey Acosta

History Theses & Dissertations

From 1917 to 1933, the United States did not recognize the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. In 1920 the United States established conditions for recognition. First, the Soviet Union had to pay all debts owed to the United States government and its citizens by previous Russian and Soviet governments. In addition, all propaganda and subversive activities sponsored by the Soviet Union in the United States had to cease. During this period, the Division of Eastern European Affairs (DEEA) studied and collected data about the Soviet Union from its main "outpost" at the United States Mission in Riga, Latvia. The Russian …

From Pillage To Conquest: The Normans In Ireland, 1167-1185, Ray E. Etheridge

History Theses & Dissertations

The history of Ireland and England has been intertwined since the Anglo-Norman invasion of Ireland in the last half of the twelfth century. It is easy to view this invasion as a well planned and state sponsored endeavor of the Angevin kings and the Anglo-Norman nobility. However, this is a great simplification of Irish Anglo- Norman history. It is the purpose of this study to determine to what extent and when the Anglo-Norman adventures in Ireland became an invasion. The two primary sources for doing so are the works of Gerald Cambrensis, and the anonymous Son of Dermot and the …

The Role Of The Court Of Justice In European Integration, Frances M. Jacobson

History Theses & Dissertations

This study examines the role of the Court of Justice in the major issues of European integration: dismantling technical barriers to the free flow of goods, protecting human rights within the European Community, and facilitating the free movement of capital, people and services. Success or failure of the Court is measured by whether the member states have implemented its rulings and whether the rulings have aided or hindered the development of a European internal market.

Specific actions of the Court of Justice are analyzed and placed within the context of European integration. The study begins with the European Coal and …

From Roman Britain To Norman England Continuity And Change - C. A. D. 284 - 1066, Gary Philip Priolo

History Theses & Dissertations

Prior to the Norman Conquest English Society was different in many ways. To understand these differences one must look at the various influences that over eight centuries combined to create Saxon England. This study examines how Saxon English society was created from the contributions of the Romans, Anglo-Saxons, church, and Vikings.

Contemporary authors such as Bede and Gildas, and supporting archeological evidence indicate that the invaders and Christian missionaries had a significant impact on the native population of medieval Britain. Evidence suggests that the Romano-Britons were either killed or put to flight by the Anglo-Saxon settlers, the church first converted …

Franco-American Relations And The Emergence Of French Nuclear Armament, 1939-1962, Regis Hugues Philippon

Graduate Program in International Studies Theses & Dissertations

France and the United States stand out as two major pioneer countries in the development of nuclear science. It was logical for France to join the nuclear club. But due to the extended responsibilities such an option implies, a lengthy difference of opinion developed between France and the United States. The former asserted its rights and its worldwide influence heedless of the decolonization process. The latter, heavily committed to the Western defense and its global interests, opposed the development of a strike force that it could not control. This disagreement led France to make specific reservations toward decision-making of the …

Signals Intelligence In World War Ii Ultra And The Air War In Europe, Demetrio J. Perez

Graduate Program in International Studies Theses & Dissertations

(First paragraph) In recent years the study of military intelligence, particularly when viewed from a historical context, has acquired new significance. As military historians attempt to find a correlation between wartime events and the intelligence activities supporting those events, many serious works in this field have emerged. Some accounts of World War II military intelligence deal with the subject in terms of its benefits to the field commander. Others take a more extreme view and argue that major wartime successes resulted more from good intelligence than from good leadership.

British Foreign Policy And The Crimean War A Study In Uncoordinated Diplomacy, Ronald W. Kennedy

Graduate Program in International Studies Theses & Dissertations

This thesis is an examination of British Crimean War diplomacy. Under analysis is the pre-war era (1844-1853) and the war years (1854-1856). Intense diplomatic negotiations were in progress during most of the period immediately preceding and during the Crimean War. The diplomatic efforts to avoid war as well as negotiations to resolve the conflict were protracted and extremely complex.

This study is designed to examine British policy by focusing on what often characterized British efforts prior to, and during, the Crimean War: uncoordinated diplomacy. Although the British clearly wanted to avoid this war and to hasten its conclusion once fighting …

Literary Visions Of Edward Ii And Isabella Of France, Dana L. Sample

Institute for the Humanities Theses

The historical Edward II and Isabella of France do not always resemble the literary Edward and Isabella. Chronicles written after their deaths produced romances about their lives that to this day have colored historical scholarship. Other literature in the form of plays and novels have also been responsible for nurturing legends about Edward and Isabella. This thesis examines first the contemporary chronicles and government records in order to establish some facts about the ill-fated king and queen; then it analyzes the romances and the media that produced them, in an effort to test their reliability. Although some of the legends …

The Merchant Class Of London During The Hundred Years War, Rowena Breen

History Theses & Dissertations

The merchant class of London became an increasingly important and active body during the Hundred Years War, especially in the area of economic development. London's merchants held the most important governmental posts of the city, and were instrumental in the finance systems of London and the kingdom. In trade and commerce, London's merchants were at the forefront, instituting complex business transactions and opening new markets for themselves and for the kingdom at large. The ongoing conflict between England and France from 1337 to 1453 provided the merchants with many opportunities for their new developments and ventures. The artificially concentrated conditions …

John Of Gaunt And His Use Of Marriage, Christopher Park Ross

History Theses & Dissertations

The problem under examination is to determine to what extent were the public policy pursuits of John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster, designed to expand the patrimony and influence of the house of Lancaster. Gaunt's actions have been placed in a wider historical context. His claims to various European lands from Provence to Scotland have been examined. His use of the marriages of himself and of his children to strengthen the prestige of his house have been scrutinized. The result of this study has been to show Gaunt's loyalty to what he perceived to be the interests of his immediate …

Reform And Democracy: British And American Reactions To The French Revolution, 1789-1801, Martha Lingua Wheless

History Theses & Dissertations

The outbreak of the French Revolution in 1789 had a profound effect on the countries of the western world. In Great Britain and America initial reaction to the Revolution was overwhelmingly positive, but as the events in France became increasingly violent opinions began to diverge. This thesis examines the diverse popular reactions to the French Revolution in both Great Britain and America. The role played by the governments of these nations in shaping public opinion is considered, as are the effects of the populaces' reactions on the government's policies, which culminated in the suppression of the parliamentary reform movement in …

"Wretched, Bloody, And Usurping Boar"? An Evaluation Of The Historicity Of Shakespeare's Richard Iii, Kathryn Kiff

Institute for the Humanities Theses

Shakespeare's portrait of Richard III as a diabolical monster was based on the hostile accounts fashioned about him during the Tudor regime. Sir Thomas More's Richard III established the definitive image of Richard as the deformed tyrant who usurped the throne and murdered his nephews. This was the portrait that Shakespeare inherited from the sixteenth-century writers who incorporated More's account into their chronicles. This thesis examines Shakespeare's portrayal of Richard and the chronicle sources upon which he drew in order to show how Shakespeare's portrait of Richard developed. Although Richard was not the evil character presented in Shakespeare's play, it …

Slavery And The Early Teutonic Codes A.D. 400-800: A Legal Paradigm Shift, Elizabeth Thompson Harris

History Theses & Dissertations

This study examines the institution of slavery in the customary legal codes of seven Germanic tribes: the Burgundians, Lombards, Franks, Anglo-Saxons, Alamanni, Bavarians, and Visigoths. It describes the status of slaves within each society and assesses various factors contributing to both the recrudescence of slavery throughout the period of the invasions and its subsequent demise during the ninth and tenth centuries. The research is based primarily on the titles within the Germanic codes themselves, chronicles, contemporary Roman historical writing, and Roman legislation.

An important legal transformation made evident throughout the Germanic codes testifies to the replacement of complete subjection by …

The Public Record Office: A Study Of The Creation Of The Office And The Construction Of Its Fireproof Repository, Kathryn A. Miller

History Theses & Dissertations

At the beginning of the nineteenth century Britain's public records were scattered among more than fifty depositories which were overcrowded, unorganized, neglected, and ill-suited to record preservation. The British government was not sympathetic to the condition or the importance of the records. How then did the British government become involved in creating the Public Record Office and building its first fireproof repository? This study takes the form of a chronology based extensively on the records of the Public Record Office, the Office of Works, and the British Sessional Papers.

Although the creation of the Public Record Office was part of …

The Troubadour Poets: Their Influence On Their Times, Georgia M. Jarrell

Institute for the Humanities Theses

Troubadour poetry was a phenomenon which occurred in the South of France during the eleventh through the thirteenth centuries. The style was one of political and social invectives and panegyrics, as well as a sophisticated love poetry. The tradition flourished and then died with direct relations to the political and religious events of the era. Through this poetry, the modern reader can not only understand the feelings of the individual poets but also gain insights on the lifestyles of the period and the events which had a bearing on the history of the period. The troubadours were truly mirrors of …

Portrait Of The Scientific Journals In Germany: 1930-1936, Paul Eugene Gesling Jr.

Institute for the Humanities Theses

The focus of this .study is to note and measure any discernible changes within the character of scientific publications in Germany after the elevation of the National Socialists to power. To detect any such changes, a classification scheme was established to categorize formal papers appearing in six journals between 1930-1936. The results are subject to variance as the journals examined did not fare identically. Certain journals declined in output while others prospered. Suggestion~ of ideological tampering remain largely absent. Indeed, the wide latitude of interests expressed by these papers suggest a preference on the part of German scientists and editors …

The American-British Alliance Of World War Ii And The Debate Over European Strategy, Emory Allen Burton

History Theses & Dissertations

The American-British Alliance of World Mar II did not evolve by chance but was the result of deliberate steps wh1ch can be traced back to 1938 when naval coordination talks were conducted in London. These talks emerged from an American evaluation of defense commitments in the Pacific and recognition that British cooperation would be valued in a future war.

The theme of this study is the development of the alliance and how that process was influenced by the debate over the strategy for the war in Europe. The most important decision in this process was the Europe first policy. Roosevelt …

Curtain Of Silence Japanese In Soviet Custody, 1945-1956, William F. Nimmo

Graduate Program in International Studies Theses & Dissertations

The Soviet Union attacked- and defeated Japanese forces in Northeast Asia in the final days of the Second World War, and 2,100,000 Japanese soldiers and civilians suddenly fell into the hands of the Red Army. This thesis examines the experiences of Japanese in Soviet custody, efforts to obtain their release, and their eventual return to Japan. Repatriation of civilians from Soviet-controlled areas was slow, and military personnel were taken to the USSR for use as forced labor for several years. The Soviets conducted an intensive Marxist-Leninist indoctrination program for prisoners of war, and a professed acceptance of communism was a …

I.G. Farben's Petro-Chemical Plant And Concentration Camp At Auschwitz, Robert Simon Yavner

History Theses & Dissertations

This study examines the history of the petrochemical plant and concentration camp run by I.G. Farbenindustrie (the dominant German chemical company during World War II) at Auschwitz to decide upon the degree of Farben’s involvement with Hitler and the Holocaust. The study traces the construction of the plant to determine Farben's participation at Auschwitz. The main sources consulted were the transcripts of the postwar Farben trial at Nuremberg along with eyewitness accounts of members of the prosecution staff. Based on the court's verdict, one might conclude that I.G. Farben operated in a state of coercion during the war and could …