Britain in the Age of Total War, 1914–1963

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In the 20th century, the United Kingdom went from being the preeminent imperial power in human history to the status of a shrinking, debtor nation. The impact of two world wars, democratization, liberalism, socialism and conservative policies all contributed to a transition from a British to an American world. Yet the UK managed to maintain some elements of itself and attempted to build new identities as a welfare state, a European power and a NATO ally while leveraging its institutional memory of statecraft, intelligence operations and insight in the service of its new American ally. In this effort, it met with many reverses and adventures, both abroad and at home.

In this course, you examine how the UK changed from 1914 to 1963. This covers the period of two world wars, the Attlee administration, the age of Churchill, the beginnings of decolonization and the Profumo scandal. The course sets the history of institutional and political change (including the decline of the Liberal Party and the rise of Labor) in the context of the challenges and policies of the times.

Reading List

• Barnett, Corelli. The Lost Victory: British Dreams, British Realities, 1945–1950. Macmillan, 1995.
• Clarke, Peter. Hope and Glory: Britain 1900–1990. Penguin, 1996.
• Ferguson, Niall. The Pity of War. Basic Books, 1999.
• Hennessy, Peter. Having it So Good: Britain in the Fifties. Allen Lane, 2006.
• Herman, Arthur. Gandhi and Churchill: The Epic Rivalry That Destroyed an Empire and Forged Our Age. Bantam Books, 2008.

Tutor Biography

Martin Meenagh, M.A., Ph.D., Balliol College, Oxford, has taught extensively for colleges of University of Oxford and has lectured at the University of Chicago; the Newberry Library; the Kessel Institute in Mankato, Minnesota; and Rewley House, Kellogg. He currently lives and teaches in London and Bath, England.

Credit and Enrollment Information

X422 • 3 semester units in History
EDP 284133