European History Commons^™

Employee Opportunism In Two Early Modern British Trading Companies, Robert Franklin Unger

History Theses & Dissertations

The English East India Company and the Hudson’s Bay Company were the most prominent of a score or more of seventeenth and eighteenth century joint stock European trading companies whose merchants conducted their trading activities around the globe. The extraordinary distances and length of time that separated the London directorate committees of both companies from their distant employees was perhaps their greatest managerial challenge. Neither company could directly supervise their employees at their remote trading concessions, whether it was India and the East Indies for the East India Company or sub-arctic North America for the Hudson’s Bay Company.

Because of …

The Role Of Agricultural And Land Policies In The Failure Of The British Mandate For Palestine, Beth Ann Lynk

History Theses & Dissertations

This study follows the thread of chronic land loss for small and subsistence Arab farmers in Palestine and the key solution repeatedly advocated by the British of intensive agriculture and how it routinely failed only to fuel increased tensions and violence between Arabs and Jews contributing to the reversal of the goal of a unified Palestine under the Mandate. A variety of primary and secondary sources were used to identify the main social patterns and laws during the Ottoman Empire which set up the dynamic of agricultural debt leading to land sales to Jewish immigrants. This pattern is then traced …

Strike A Pose: Propaganda In Augustus' And Mussolini's Imperial Imagery, Colleen Syler Parker

History Theses & Dissertations

In Ancient Rome, the transition from Republic to Empire was a volatile time. Augustus used his skills as a propagandist to consolidate his military position and craft specific images after the death of Julius Caesar. Augustus needed to appeal to Roman ideals in leadership, and recover the morality and traditional family values which had become lost in the Late Republic. In conjunction with this, he attempted to bolster religion and create a lasting legacy in a dynastic and architecturally structural sense.

Almost two thousand years later, Mussolini echoed many of the same themes as Augustus in his use of romanitá …

Meaning In History? The Young Hegelian's Battle For Historical Meaning And The Resurgence Of Nihilism, Angelo J. Letizia

History Theses & Dissertations

After the Reign of Terror, the German thinker J.H. Jacobi saw only two options for Europe: faith in God or nihilism, the belief in nothing. His ultimatum between faith and nihilism for the modern era called into question for some thinkers the entire revolutionary project and its ideals of reason and self government. Two answers to Jacobi's ultimatum were put forth by the German philosophers Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel who rejected both faith and nihilism, and instead crafted a vision of progress, and Arthur Schopenhauer who opted for nihilism. Jacobi's ultimatum, and Hegel and Schopenhauer's answers to it, opened up …

Italy And Italians Through American Eyes, 1861-1881, Dennis M. Bench

History Theses & Dissertations

American perceptions of Italy and Italians between 1861 and 1881 were characterized by competing and conflicting images. These two decades in the late­ nineteenth century demonstrated the transitional nature of American attitudes towards Italians as contact between the two peoples increased. American travelers went to Italy initially to recreate the journeys of educated Europeans of the Grand Tours of the eighteenth century. By the 1860s this style of travel was on the decline to be replaced by traveling based on exploring the "real" Italy. However, the two styles overlapped and resulted in conflicting and complementary images. In part this was …

Drawbridge Diplomacy: Romanian-American Relations, 1963-1968, Brett A. Jerasa

History Theses & Dissertations

Entering the White House in 1963, Lyndon B. Johnson pursued a policy of "bridge building" to Eastern Europe, finding agreement on small issues of economics and foreign relations in order to decrease tension between East and West. Johnson targeted Romania as the show case for bridge building because of its growing autonomy from the Soviet Union. Romania's policies of rapid industrialization and foreign policy independence offered potent possibilities. However, Johnson's bridge building faced many difficulties. His administration pursued a dual Cold War policy: he fought communist belligerency in Vietnam while affirming the positive behavior of Eastern European satellites. Despite the …

Compartmentalizing The Other: Nineteenth-Century Englishwomen, Travel, And English Identity, Amanda E. Williams

History Theses & Dissertations

The nineteenth century was an age of travel. The English traveled the globe for a variety of reasons. When not traveling for military, political, religious, or scientific reasons, they also traveled a great deal simply for pleasure. Regardless of reason, travel brought the English into contact with the Other. As a construction, the Other became an important part of English identity.

Englishwomen were particularly famous for travel. Although they were disenfranchised Others themselves in English society, Englishwomen did not identify with the Other they encountered in travels, but rather chose enfranchisement in an elite "imagined" England. This community (or the …

The United States Information Agency And The "New Look": France And India, 1953-1961, Leanne Alicia Sutton

History Theses & Dissertations

This study examines the creation of the United States Information Agency (USIA) under the guidance of President Dwight D. Eisenhower and looks at the place of the Agency in the "New Look." The US Information Agency was an important "soft" tool in the American struggle with the Soviet Union for preponderant influence around the world and played a part in the American effort to maintain the balance between the Communist and Free worlds. This study takes a deeper look at the work of the Agency in two case studies, which examine the work of the USIA in France, a reluctant …

The Interaction Of Domestic Politics And English Naval Operations During The Civil War And Interregnum, 1642-1660, Don P. Crowson

History Theses & Dissertations

The interaction of domestic politics and the English Navy during the Civil Wars and the following interregnum is analyzed. The period of interest is during the reign of Charles I (1646-1649); the Commonwealth (1649-1653), when the government functioned essentially as a republic; and the Protectorate, (1653-1660), when the executive function was performed first by Oliver Cromwell and then by his son, Richard Cromwell. A brief description of the immediate preceding years is included to establish the political climate of the time.

The major events with political implications are considered in detail. They are: (1) the struggle between Parliament and the …

The Sharper Image: Bringing Irish Nationalist Identity Into Focus, 1880-1923, Meghan M. Ferriter

History Theses & Dissertations

From 1880 to 1923, Irish nationalists created and sustained an independent cultural identity shaped by external and internal forces. British political cartoons reveal key external cultural perceptions of the Irish, while Irish nationalist writings endorse internal concepts of character and project political aims. Irish nationalists present an uninterrupted internal identity in pursuit of autonomy. Images published in Punch, or the London Charivari, provide external factors of identity that evolve from exaggerated threat to trivial concern while the nationalist political demands they represent escalate.

Identity is the product of complex interaction and compromise between external and internal definitions. Individuals …

Austrian Patriots And German Nationalists: Political Radicalism And Austrian Identity In Fin-De-Siècle Vienna, Scott O. Moore

History Theses & Dissertations

The political atmosphere of the last decades of the Austrian Empire is often characterized by the outbreak of radical political movements. These movements were sharply critical of the political, social, and economic developments which resulted from the state's transition into a modern, industrial society. Two of these movements, the Christian Socialist Party, led by Dr. Karl Lueger, and the Pan-German Nationalist Party, led by Georg von Schonerer, became notable for their use of anti-Semitism as a means of vocalizing these criticisms. While these two groups were contemporaries, Lueger's Christian Socialist's achieved unparalleled success, dominating Viennese politics by 1900; and Schonerer's …

"Those Who Can Suffer The Most": Cultural And Religious Symbols Within Irish Republican Prison Protests, Betsy L. Morgan-Cutright

History Theses & Dissertations

Hunger striking was a powerful weapon used by the Irish Republican Army throughout the twentieth century. This study will attempt to answer the question of which specific symbols were visible during the prison protests and hunger strikes in Northern Ireland from 1976 to 1981. It will also address how such symbols relate to the cult of Irish Republican martyrdom and Catholicism.

Several symbols manifested themselves during this time period. Upon examination, a pattern emerges where two overriding yet contradictory themes were used far more frequently than any other. These two themes were those of traditional Irish Republicanism and Irish Catholicism, …

Bolshevism And The Avant-Garde: Marxist Ideology And The Aesthetics Of Soviet Film, 1923-28, Garrett H. Booker

History Theses & Dissertations

When Eisenstein's Strike burst onto the cultural scene in 1925, Soviet cinema began a creative odyssey that left to posterity a brilliant collection of films that redefined the manner in which audiences viewed them. Not only was the form of these films dynamic and innovative, but their content captured the heroic actions of a new historical subject, the revolutionary proletariat. As the Soviet State assumed control over the production of films, politics imprinted its indelible mark on the content of these films, especially as Stalin tightened his grip over all aspects of artistic life. The author of this project will …

The Rhetoric And Reality Of Famine In Early Modern Europe, Karen Russell Adams

History Theses & Dissertations

Famine in early modern Europe was a reoccurring phenomenon that caused stress on individuals and their societies. In most historical accounts of famine, authors have placed emphasis on either the physical aspects of starvation, including studies of famine victims, both live and post mortem, or the disastrous effects of such crises on demographics. On occasion, a researcher has instead probed the accounts of famine left behind by its victims. This essay is an attempt to correlate famine narratives with the biological aspects of starvation.

In order to blend the physical and social aspects of famine, this researcher has investigated three …

Court, Clients And Kingship: A Study Of Royal Executive Style During The Reign Of James I, Nick Jon Ziegler

History Theses & Dissertations

The thesis explores James Stuart's distinct style of kingship as a self-proclaimed absolute monarch whose writings, speeches and public image belied his intention to rule moderately for the welfare of his subjects. The king's reign is analyzed with regard to his ideas on monarchy and government, ecclesiastical policies, problems with clientage, relations with favourites and court culture. Both in Scotland and England, James' writings reveal his static approach to governing key institutions of church and state. The Jacobean court served as the locus of state political power as well as royal patronage, thus drawing many suitors for public offices and …

The Search For Vinland: Reconciling Literature And Archaeology, Clifford W. Anderson

History Theses & Dissertations

It is now generally accepted that Columbus was not the first white European to have visited or attempted colonization of North America. It is also generally accepted that the only hard evidence available on the subject suggests that Norse settlers made the first attempt around 1000 CE. The term most often associated with the Norse settlement in question is "Vinland." However, several scholars are unwilling to associate Vinland with the location of the relevant archaeological find at L'Anse aux Meadows, Newfoundland. Utilizing an analysis of the two sagas that refer to the settlement and an authentication of the cartographical evidence, …

One Mistress And No Master: Elizabeth I And Her Use Of Public Personas To Gain And Maintain Power, Michael J. Davye

History Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this thesis is to examine the evolution of the personas that Elizabeth used to gain, hold, and wield power during her reign as Queen of England. These personas were most likely conscious constructs created to deal with the problems Elizabeth faced as ruler of England. She had been bastardized by her father, Henry VIII, and, therefore, was considered by many to have no legitimate claim to the throne. But this problem was almost insignificant in contrast to the problems she faced trying to assert her authority as a female monarch. Elizabeth realized the prevailing wisdom of the …

Henri Iv As Military Commander, Terence W. Loveridge

History Theses & Dissertations

Henri IV won the throne of France as a feat of arms in a time of great social, religious, economic and military transformation. Militarily, Henri has generally been regarded as a gallant, opportunistic and lucky cavalry commander whose remarkable sense of timing and flexible personal principles enabled him to play a major role in the ending of the Wars of Religion in France. Current debate over the "Military Revolution" of the sixteenth century and the "Revolution in Military Affairs" of the twentieth has renewed interest in both the characters and the techniques of warfare in transformation.

New approaches to military …

Russian Supply Efforts In America During The First World War, Dale C. Rielage

History Theses & Dissertations

The Russian government entered the First World War unprepared for the strains that modern warfare would impose on its industrial resources. As a result, Russia turned to foreign suppliers, most significantly the United States, and made extensive purchases largely financed by British loans. These foreign supply efforts involved both the Tsarist government and representatives of the newly emerging civil elements in Russian society.

Central to the experience of Russian purchasing in the United States was the Russian Supply Commission in America. Established in October 1915 as a coordinating body, the Supply Commission was noteworthy in that it included representatives of …

Fact Or Fiction? The Use Of Eighteenth-Century Criminal Biographies In Historical Studies, Steven M. Wakefield

History Theses & Dissertations

Marxist studies concerning crime and criminality in eighteenth-century England, and especially London, have explained the problem strictly in terms of a class based struggle between the elites and the working poor. Marxists further contend that the majority of criminals hanged for capital offenses during the eighteenth-century also came Rom the working poor. Using an analysis of criminal biographies written between 1723 and 1783, this study questions the Marxist paradigm by suggesting that eighteenth-century crime and criminality were not inter-class conflicts but more intra-class struggles, and hangings reflected this.

The United States And The Netherlands: A Study Of Early Cold War Cooperation, Michael R. Hirman

History Theses & Dissertations

This thesis examines the policy that the United States utilized between 1945 and 1950 to enlist Dutch support for post-war European organizations and the place of this relationship within United States overall Cold War policy. The Netherlands willingness to cooperate and further United States objectives significantly contributed to the development of economic reconstruction and military security in Western Europe. In addition the United States unprecedented vision for a multilateral defense treaty came to fruition in part through Dutch support and compliance. However, the Dutch also had to make some historic changes. The United States opposed the Dutch attempt to retake …

Eisenhower And Khrushchev At The Paris Summit: Anatomy Of A Failure, Vincent Michael Kapral

History Theses & Dissertations

Although it seemed at the time that the destruction of a U-2 reconnaissance aircraft over Soviet territory, slightly over two weeks prior to the Four-Power May 1960 Paris Conference had ended the summit, more deeply rooted historical differences ensured the meeting's failure. While President Dwight Eisenhower sought to ensure a national policy of defense sufficiency via his New Look strategy, he faced many internal and external critics who over-stepped or underutilized their positions. These included Allen Dulles, Christian Herter, Richard Bissell and Charles De Gaulle. Nikita Khrushchev faced internal division over his desires to achieve a new peaceful coexistence as …

The Men Behind The Oath: A Profile Of The German Officer Corps In The Interwar Period, 1919-1939, Brian E. Crim

History Theses & Dissertations

The predominance of technocrats within the Reichswehr, the inability of the officer corps to reassert its elite status in the Weimar era, and the extensive interaction between the Reichswehr and a militaristic German society contributed to Hitler's successful absorption of military authority in the 1930s. The social and political upheaval resulting in part from the First World War diffused military authority and diminished the role of the officer corps in German society. The corps struggled to maintain its historic level of corporateness and consistently failed to fulfill its responsibility to the Weimar Republic. The Reichswehr's top officers worked to revitalize …

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 …

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 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.