World War Research Articles

Practical aspects of morphological research in urban renewal projects

The small towns of North-Eastern Germany suffered great losses in historic buildings and economic dynamics during the Second World War and the subsequent decades of communist rule. Since 1990, these communities have suffered a major decrease in the number of inhabitants, resulting in a large number of buildings being empty. To adjust the urban structure to twenty-first century standards and regain economic vitality, both regional and local governments are supporting urban renewal projects. Sites inside medieval town centres are under pressure to amalgamate and be recreated as large-scale developer architecture or to fall into ultimate decay. As part of the study of medieval urban structures, a study of the site of the former Holy Spirit Hospice (Heiligengeist-Quarter) of Woldegk has been carried out. This paper shows how contextualization and a re-definition of the site, based on historic narratives developed by morphological research, inspired authorities and stakeholders to initiate a narrative-based development of the site. It demonstrates that urban renewal, based on historic narratives, creates wide public support for contemporary redevelopment in small urban communities. It further shows how morphological research is contributing to the establishment of relevant narratives.

Parliamentary debate and the construction of the national characteristics of Swedish parliamentarism

ABSTRACT This article examines how the characteristics of parliamentary debate were discussed in Sweden between the late nineteenth century and the Second World War, covering the period of parliamentary democratization and the interwar crisis of democracy. Focusing on the comments on the nature of parliamentary rebates in the printed press, as well as the ways in which MPs comment on debate while they speak in parliament, this article shows that there is a remarkable continuity in the ways in which Swedish parliamentary debate was viewed, as a compromising negotiation in parliamentary committees was elevated to a national characteristic of Swedish parliamentary culture both by the conservative critics of parliamentary democracy and the social democratic and liberal defenders of democracy. What was in the late nineteenth century and the early twentieth centuries characteristically a conservative argument in favour of safeguarding the quality and independence of the working procedures of parliament against the consequences of democratization was in the 1930s turned into an argument against the threats that political extremism and totalitarian ideas posed to parliamentary democracy. The study shows that the Swedish style of parliamentary debate was continuously contrasted with the pro et contra style of debate in the British Parliament, which was deemed unsuitable to the Swedish constitutional tradition even if it sometimes gained support as an ideal type. The main examples of debates on parliamentary procedures discussed in the study deal with the question of open voting and the rights of the Speaker to regulate debates.

COVID-19 and South Asia: an overview

The article explores the global impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, highlighting its severe effects on health systems, economies, and poverty levels. With an estimated 6.9 million deaths worldwide and the deepest recession since World War II, the pandemic had diverse regional impacts. South Asia, for example, experienced varying degrees of health and economic challenges; India faced over 500,000 deaths and a sharp economic downturn, while other nations in the region were less severely affected. The pandemic’s relatively brief duration, aided by global responses like lockdowns, social distancing, and rapid vaccine distribution, facilitated a quicker economic recovery, bolstered by unprecedented counter-cyclical policies. The article also examines South Asian case studies, including regional trade integration, the economic benefits of vaccination, and the socio-economic impacts on women in Bangladesh. It further discusses Pakistan’s response, Sri Lanka’s populist policies, and Indonesia’s monetary policy adjustments, offering valuable lessons for managing global health crises and economic downturns.

Post-WWII Reforms: How the U.S. Transformed Japans Domestic Legal System

Abstract: The deep connection between the U.S. and Japan began at the end of World War II and has transformed from an initial enemy relationship to the U.S. occupation of Japan to the current deep strategic partnership. The U.S. undertook a thorough legal reconstruction during the occupation of Japan. From the representative contents of the changes, the cabinet officials and the Supreme Commander for the Allied Power, who was the U.S.'s all-powerful leader in the legal reconstruction process, the analysis of the entanglement and bargaining between the U.S. and Japan in the process of legal changes and the characteristics of the law after the changes were made. In this way, the fundamental interests of both sides are analyzed. It is found that the U.S. dominated the legal aspects to serve its strategic objectives in Asia. For instance, ensuring that Japan no longer became a threat of war, while using Japan to hamstring socialist expansion in Asia. The Japanese cabinet was not influential enough in reconstructing the law.

A Comparative Study of the Economic Development of China and Japan after World War II

China's economy is currently facing difficulties such as a slowdown in development, an economic structure that is not adapted to the new world economic situation and so on. How to get out of these difficulties has become an important issue. From a historical perspective, this article compares the economic development processes of China and Japan after World War II and analyses the enlightenment that China can draw from Japan's economic development. The study of this article concludes that after World War II, the economic development models of China and Japan were highly similar. Both countries implemented a development strategy that prioritized heavy and chemical industries, introduced economic development policies that emphasized exports and adopted a government-led economic development model. Both are currently encountering similar development difficulties. Based on Japan's economic development experience and lessons, China should focus on real estate bubbles, market mechanism adjustment and improvement, etc. to adapt to the needs of the new economic situation.

‘The Biggest Aspidistra in the World’

During the period known as the ‘Phoney War,’ the comedic song ‘The Biggest Aspidistra in the World’ became a significant cultural reference point in the UK, along with its singer, the renowned Gracie Fields. This was a notable achievement given the shifting public tastes within the country during a period of widespread uncertainty and transformation. However, despite the song’s wartime popularity, it has received little scholarly attention. This paper traces the rise and fall of ‘The Biggest Aspidistra’ in the UK during the Phoney War, exploring its impact through an analysis of the national symbols in its lyrics, its comedic delivery by Fields, and its collaborative musical approach. By bridging musicology and cultural history, this paper clarifies the importance of comprehensive song analysis to Second World War studies and underscores the role of humour in bolstering wartime morale.

Evaluating the Effectiveness of United Nations Peacebuilding Operations

The study addresses how to find legal solutions that are accepted by most countries in the world within the framework of maintaining international peace and security by ensuring the international public good, reflecting the dissemination of justice among all the peoples of the world. It also emphasizes equality for all individuals within a single nation under the concept of citizenship, away from discrimination. Recently, the intensity and violence of conflicts and armed disputes between countries have increased, along with the suffering of people everywhere on earth. These tragedies witnessed by millions of people have driven the need to think about mechanisms by which humans can resolve their disputes without resorting to the use of armed force to protect their vital and strategic interests. Attention has turned to what represents the international community, which is supposed to be impartial and objective, in addition to the expertise gained from exposure to many such difficult situations where the parties involved are suspicious of each other. The United Nations was the means to maintain international peace and security. However, over time, it became evident to everyone that this organization, despite its significant international standing, was unable to maintain peace and security in many regions around the world. This led to widespread calls for reforming the United Nations system, which revolves around the five major victorious countries of World War II, to become an organization that truly represents the international community and not just the five permanent members of the Security Council. The international community, through the United Nations General Assembly, should play an active role in compelling all parties in a dispute to resort to the International Court of Justice, whose rulings would be binding on all parties, at least in matters of a humanitarian nature. Considering the above, the research will demonstrate the significant shortcomings in the role of the United Nations in building peace and economic reconstruction of countries emerging from chaos and armed conflict. Therefore, it is necessary to activate the international system to consider the humanitarian aspects related to the post-armed conflict phase by amending the United Nations Charter to clearly include the roles to be undertaken by each member of the international.

THE CONCEPT OF THE EXISTENTIAL FALL IN ALBERT CAMUS’ THE FALL AND WILLIAM GOLDING’S FREE FALL

The atrocities of World War II and the following grim period of recovery in Europe resulted in the fact that human innocence was wiped away and replaced by the state of never-ending guilt for crimes committed in the pre- and post-WWII period. The overwhelming majority of people realized that their lives were wrought by the previously dormant qualities of selfishness and hypocrisy leading them to experience their “fall”, standing for the loss of innocence and disappearing trust in the meaning of rationalised existence, from then on was undermined by the absurdity of everyday life. The concept of the existentialist fall is a recurrent theme both in Albert Camus’ The Fall and William Golding’s Free Fall. While The Fall is the forefather of many existentialist novels of the second part of the twentieth century, portraying man strangled in a hopeless and nihilist struggle taking place in the new historical environment, Free Fall, in its turn, written three years later, managed to become one of the best specimens of fiction dealing with the concepts of human sin, free will, guilt, alienation and loss of freedom. Therefore, the aim of this paper is to analyse and compare Camus’ The Fall with Golding’s Free Fall in terms of their treatment of the concept of the existentialist fall.

The ECB's Solution to the Inflation Caused by the Russia-Ukraine Conflict

Abstract: The Russian-Ukrainian War saw a major escalation on February 24, 2022, when Russia invaded Ukraine, sparking the biggest battle in Europe since World War II. In addition to negatively affecting international relations, this lengthy conflict has had a significant negative influence on world markets, especially those in the Eurozone. The ongoing conflict has intensified inflationary pressures, necessitating the implementation of strong fiscal and monetary measures by the European Central Bank (ECB). This study analyzes the inflationary effect of the Russia-Ukraine crisis on the economies of the Eurozone and assesses the ECB's policies using macroeconomic models, such as the IS-PC-MR model. It explores the complex economic fallout, which includes unstable energy supply, higher industrial prices, and a decline in consumer confidence. The economy has stabilized largely because of the ECB's initiatives, which have included coordinated fiscal policies, interest rate hikes and asset purchase adjustments. Despite these initiatives, problems still exist, such as controlling the growing public debt and striking a balance between inflation management and economic growth. In order to strengthen economic resilience, the conclusion highlights the need for ongoing adaptation and international cooperation. Investments in integrated fiscal measures, diverse supply chains, and renewable energy are suggested as being crucial for long-term stability. The purpose of this study is to provide insights for future economic crisis management and to contribute to policy-making conversations.

Как можно понимать и как тогда практиковать историческую социологию

The essay presents its author's understanding of historical sociology, as well as a view on how to practice historical sociology. The preconditions that have been necessary for the emergence of historical sociology from the American intellectual tradition are the following: first, to overcome the ‘historiosophical ahistoricism’ of classical sociology and the ahistoricism of early empirical sociology in the United States. Second, the emergence of ‘social history’ in Europe under the influence of the Great War and the social sciences rejecting the idea of progress in its evolutionary and revolutionary interpretations. The essay provides a detailed investigation of the features of the ‘new historical science’ in comparison with its traditional counterpart, as well as exploring the similarities and differences between social history and historical sociology. Social history is considered as an intermediate link between the classical ‘sociology of history’ and American historical sociology. Following social history, historical sociology turns to comparative studies and quantitative methods, but at the same time does not abandon hermeneutics. Historical sociology presupposes a mutual weakening of the nomothetics of classical ‘grand theories’ and the ideography of traditional history. It also implies a full-fledged sociological investigation of historical phenomena using procedures accepted in empirical sociology, rather than the reinterpretation of historical research in sociological-theoretical terms. This results in the emergence of special (rather than general) processual and medium-level theories of social change based on historical facts. Historical sociology focuses on theoretical generalizations, which clearly distinguishes it from social history. The essay investigates the different approaches and purposes of using the comparative historical method - and the quantitative methods that complement it. In turn, their utilization leads to problems with the acceptance of their results by traditional historians specialized in a single country and on studying primary sources in the original. Instead of concluding, the author discusses his experience and participation in the institutionalization of historical sociology in Russia and points out the problems hindering it.

A New Institution for Serbian Memory

Abstract The destruction of the joint Yugoslav state was accompanied by a sharp alteration of the country’s narrative about the country’s experience of the Second World War, which shifted from a focus on the Yugoslav partisans to ethnically-classified civilian victims of war. In 1992, the Republic of Serbia founded the Genocide Victims’ Museum, which was responsible for the preservation of the memory of the victims of the genocide of Serbs, Jews, and Roma; the collection of information on war atrocities; and was also intended to fulfill the country’s obligations under the International Convention on Genocide Prevention and Punishment. This article explores the Genocide Victims’ Museum’s memory strategy in the context of contemporary Serbian history. It also analyzes the transformation of the narrative of victimhood formulated or supported by a state-sponsored institution, interpreting it as exemplary of the “shift from heroization to victimization” in the politics of memory within the European context.

Small War as Global War: Paul Von Lettow-Vorbeck’s Campaign in German East Africa, 1914-1918

This article discusses Paul von Lettow-Vorbeck, who commanded the Schutztruppe for German East Africa between 1914 and 1918, as a strategic thinker who clearly perceived the rupture that the First World War implied for colonial governance and the use of military violence. While local resistance to colonisation had been the predominant security concern before 1914, the globalisation of the First World War meant that many colonies became recruiting grounds for loyalist soldiers as well as battlefields in the clash of arms between colonial powers. Conversely, the possibility of anti-colonial rebellions presented a vulnerability for colonial powers that could have a global impact. Based on new archival material, this article shows how Lettow-Vorbeck recognised that small war had the potential to tip the scales in a global war and linked his efforts in German East Africa to the Imperial German strategic efforts to instigate global jihad against Entente colonial powers.

Anatolian Opium and Its Marketing during World War I

Anatolian Opium and Its Marketing during World War I

An Account of Clarissa’s Instabilities in Virginia Woolf’s Mrs. Dalloway

This study investigates Virginia Woolf’s Mrs. Dalloway and the reasons behind the character Clarissa’s instabilities by applying the narrative technique of stream of consciousness. On the surface, the novel narrates one day in the life of the popular yet introspective Clarissa. Yet it seems as though the novel takes place over a lifetime, as there are several flashbacks and memories of Clarissa’s past. She is certainly a busy individual and an “in demand” member of upper-class society. Clarissa appears collected and in control, as she hurries around her house and the city of London on a lovely day in June. However, she reveals herself as an extremely self-criticizing woman, questioning the choices she has made throughout her life. This study examines the stream-of-consciousness method to explore the hidden reasons for Clarissa’s instabilities. The reasons identified in this analysis were World War I, Clarissa’s troubled marriage life, and her inability to make up her mind. Clarissa proves to be the most complex character in the novel. Virginia Woolf compares Clarissa with all the other major characters, and she analyzes Clarissa’s appearance versus her reality. Throughout the novel, Clarissa questions the choices she has made throughout her life that have landed her in her current troubled situation.

Fire at Sea: A 70-year Review of Fire-Related Mass Casualty Events on U.S. Aircraft Carriers.

A major fire at sea is among the most devastating events that can occur while a U.S. Navy combatant vessel is underway. Since World War II, no attack on a large U.S. Navy capital ship has occurred during combat operations. However, increasing global tensions raise the threat of future peer adversary naval combat, and shipboard medical caregivers must be prepared for mass casualty events in the deployed maritime environment. To better prepare modern naval caregivers for this possibility, we reviewed mass casualty events from major fires aboard large U.S. Navy aircraft carriers from 1950 through 2020 to summarize available objective data and identify lessons learned. Underway fires from any cause aboard U.S. Navy aircraft carriers and large amphibious assault ships causing more than 10 casualties (injuries + deaths) were reviewed from 1950 through 2020 using available open access sources including literature review, the Naval Safety Command mishap database, and U.S. Navy Judge Advocate Manual reports. Of 246 fires identified, 27 met inclusion criteria resulting in 1,634 casualties with a combined crew mortality of 23% of those injured. In the 16 events with at least 1 death, 2.0% of the total crew was injured with a combined mortality of 28%. All mishaps occurred while underway during routine training or combat operations; none were caused by an enemy combatant attack. Those events affecting more than 5% of the crew were particularly devastating resulting in a mortality rate of 29% of 1,056 total casualties. Given that main medical spaces may be damaged or destroyed during major fires from any cause, identified lessons learned included the need for (1) distributed medical supplies, (2) flexible medical treatment locations throughout the ship, (3) specific training to prepare non-physician caregivers and non-medical first responders to provide burn and hemorrhagic shock resuscitation, airway management, and prolonged care at or near the point of injury, and (4) the prolonged holding capability of critically ill burned and injured patients if evacuation off the ships is unavailable. Shipboard fires underway pose a significant threat to crew safety with a mortality of nearly a quarter of those injured. These fire mass casualty events immediately overwhelm shipboard medical capabilities requiring a complex response from all hands beginning with non-medical first responders. Notably, all events occurred outside of direct enemy combat, potentially underestimating the impact and number of casualties of a shipboard fire during naval combat. Advances in peer weaponry and the threat of future conflict emphasize the need for pre-deployment burn care training for all shipboard medical caregivers as well as advanced airway and resuscitation training for non-physician caregivers. This review underscores the profound impact of shipboard fires on crew safety, highlighting the critical need for enhanced preparedness and response strategies to prepare for fire-related mishaps during routine operations and naval combat.

‘Stacheldrahtpoesie’ – German poetry in British internment camp newspapers during the First World War

ABSTRACT In general, poems are a well-researched source of the First World War. This paper analyses the previously unresearched nature and purposes of German poems found in civilian internment camp newspapers in Britain and the Isle of Man between 1915 and 1918. It looks at the specific themes of national and other identities, namely heroism, victimhood, and informal communities. Through an in-depth textual analysis, it argues that the poems functioned as a therapeutic tool to vent extreme emotions, defuse problems, and comment on discourses present in the camps themselves. They helped to reassure the internees in their identity as inmates as well as to voice and combat their struggles.

Данциг или война? Тайная дипломатия Великобритании в канун нападения Германии на Польшу в 1939 г.

One of little known problems on the eve of the Second World War is secret diplomacy of Great Britain aimed at settling disputable problems with nazi Germany, Danzig and Danzig corridor including. Documents of the National Archives (London) make it possible to widen our knowledge of the secret Anglo-German contacts, reasons which made them to be possible and factors influenced on their failure. The analysis of the archival documents helps to come to a conclusion that the N. Chamberlain’s government up to the start of the Second World War counted on amicable agreement with Hitler at the expense of Poland, which in its turn influenced negatively on the talks between Great Britain, France and the USSR. Thus the Second World War became inevitable.

Encountering ‘the Most Remarkable Army of All Times’: Inter-Allied Relations and Military Hierarchies in Macedonia During the First World War

The Allied soldiers who served in Macedonia during the First World War fought as part of a diverse multinational force without parallel in any other theatre of the war, comprising troops from Britain, France, Italy, Russia, Serbia and Greece, as well as contingents from across the British and French colonial empires. Although the high-level interallied disputes between generals and politicians in conducting the campaign are well-studied, less clear is how those on the ground navigated the challenges of coalition warfare. This article draws on material from several different contingents to reconstruct the dynamics of interallied relations in Macedonia.

Germany in the Melbourne Punch, 1855–1914: British Entanglement or Autonomous Developments?

This article explores the representation of Germany and the Germans in the pages of the Melbourne Punch (1855–1925). Grounding its imagery in contemporary racial stereotyping of Germans, Melbourne Punch commented in muted terms on German immigration and the events of 1870–71 but reacted with alarm at the sudden arrival of the Kaiserreich as an expanding imperial power in the Asia-Pacific in 1884–85. The consolidation of this presence in the 1890s, combined with the simultaneous threat posed to Australia’s security via Germany’s challenge to the Royal Navy, raised antagonism to extremes (more so than in comparable British publications like the London Punch). The fear of Prussian military culture threatening Australia’s liberal-British society was expressed palpably in ordinary weekly numbers, as well as in dedicated special issues of 1898 and 1909, which featured Germanophobic invasion stories, anticipating – but never approaching – the hatred towards the ‘Hun’ during the Great War.

Павел Бажов – антикризисный управляющий военного времени

This article investigates the managerial experience of P.P. Bazhov, one of the most renowned and influential writers from the Ural region. It analyzes his role as a leader and chairman of the board of the Union of Soviet Writers (1940–1950) and the impact he had on the functioning of the writers’ organization in Sverdlovsk during the Great Patriotic War. The article is based on cultural-historical, biographical, structural and comparative-historical research methods, which allows for a deeper understanding of the context and conditions in which Bazhov worked. Particular attention is paid to the analysis of the attitude towards Bazhov on the part of ordinary members of the Union of Soviet Writers, famous metropolitan writers, local authorities and colleagues from other regions. The author of the article also examines the managerial aspects of Bazhov’s activities, his ability to navigate the challenging demands of wartime adversity, and his contributions to the development of Ural literature. Through this analysis, the article aims to shed light on Bazhov’s leadership style, his strategies for unifying and motivating writers under the pressures of war, and his lasting influence on the literary culture of the Ural region during a tumultuous historical period. The exploration of these dimensions not only highlights Bazhov’s achievements but also enriches our understanding of the broader socio-cultural dynamics at play during the war years, thus providing valuable insights into the interplay between literature, culture, and crisis management.