The Great Divide of World War I:

I. Introduction: Europe on the Eve of the First World War A. Why War in August 1914? British/German Rivalry. Arms Race 1912 First Balkan War, 1913 Second Balkan War June 28, 1914. The Spark in Sarajewo B. Great Escape Forward or Military/Diplomatic Blundering

II. Summer 1914: Initial Enthusiasm and False Expectations

A. War Enthusiasm: Class and Gender Integration

1. Social Truce, Burgfrieden, Union Sacree, Pals Regiments

2. International socialism and feminism supports war

B. The Technical Surprise . Dance of Death

1. Failure of the best laid plans (Schlieffen plan)

2. Unpreparedness and mobilization

III. 1914 - 1917: The Face of Total War

A. The Battlefield

1. Digging in for trench warfare

2. February to November 1916: Verdun. July 1916: Somme

3. Men and women at the front

a. The fellowship of the trenches (Maennergemeinschaft)

b. Nurses. New kinds of Trauma. Shellshock. Triage

B. The Home Front

1. Political centralization, Militarization of society

2. Censorship and propaganda (gender politics)

3. Economic regimentation

4. Mobilization of women

a. Changes in work process and sexual division of labor

b. Concern with future of the race and motherhood

IV. Disenchantment and Unravelling of the Fronts A. Demoralization on the Battlefield B. Tension on the Home Front: Inflation, Shortages, Strikes

1. Turnip Winter 1916/17

V. End of the War and its Social Effects: Everything Changed, Nothing Solved

A. Demobilization and its Gender Tensions

B. Changes in Work Process and Sexual Division of Labor

C. Changes in Mores: The Demise of Separate Spheres

D. Reconstruction

1. New Models: Bolshevism and Americanism

2. Political, Economic and Biological Recovery

3. Brutalization. Setting the stage for next war.