The Construction of 20th Century History - Dr Sam Merry

Before his collection of 20th century History essays, Sam Merry describes four people's experience of being taught the subject, before going on to look at the nature of the discipline of History, its unique place in our lives and how it is constructed by historians. He examines the complexities of causation, the role of individuals versus structures, historians and schools of History. He assesses History's personal relevance by reference to a Great Grandfather who fought in the Indian Mutiny and married an Indian from Benares in 1864. He then analyses the perspective of Women's History and novels as historical sources. This is followed by a look at famous individuals: Edward Grey, Lenin, Stalin and a comparison of Hitler and Bismarck. Finally, he looks at some major 20th century themes, which he taught in Singapore in 1997: the Causes and consequences of the First World War and its Peace Treaties, the rise of the fascist and Nazi dictators and the origins of the Second World War. There is some deliberate overlap in the content of the essays, to show different aspects of complex Historical problems, for example aspects of fascism, or the two world wars from Western and Russian points of view. This book will be of interest to students of History but will also be of general interest because it re-examines the discipline and important European themes that have shaped our lives. Sam Merry taught History from 1971-1997.