Programme

The Military and Politics in Europe aims the critical study of military institutions also from the point of view of the strategic and economic preparation for war, its conduct and the relationship with political institutions from the second half of the nineteenth century to the second World War. Therefore, military policy and the conduct of war will be related to the level of cultural, economic and technological development of society

Core Documentation

The texts for the preparation of the exam for those who attend the lectures and discuss in the classroom the jobs assigned to them are the following:
Luigi Bonanate, La guerra, Laterza
John Gooch, Soldati e borghesi nell’Europa moderna, Laterza
Students who have not attended lectures must add to previous texts one of these essays or a pair of essays:
1) Gerhard Ritter, I militari e la politica nella Germania moderna, vol. I. Da Federico il Grande alla prima guerra mondiale, Einaudi (esclusi i cap. I-V del Libro primo e I-IV del libro secondo)
2) Giuseppe Conti, Fare gli italiani. Esercito permanente e “nazione armata” nell’Italia liberale, Carocci più Nicola Labanca, L’istituzione militare in Italia. Politica e società, Unicopli
3) Eric Leed, Terra di nessuno. Esperienza bellica e identità personale nella prima guerra mondiale, il Mulino, più Antonio Gibelli, L'officina della guerra. La grande guerra e le trasformazioni del mondo mentale, Bollati Boringhieri
4) Frédéric Rousseau, La guerre censurée. Une histoire des combattants européens de 14-18, Seuil
5) MacGregor Knox, Alleati di Hitler. Le regie forze armate, il regime fascista e la guerra del 1940-1943, Garzanti, più Come perdere la guerra e vincere la pace. L'economia italiana tra guerra e dopoguerra, 1938-1947, a cura di Vera Zamagni, il Mulino
6) Richard Overy, La strada della vittoria. Perché gli Alleati hanno vinto la seconda guerra mondiale, il Mulino, più Gerhard Schreiber, La seconda guerra mondiale, il Mulino
7) Omer Bartov, Fronte orientale. Le truppe tedesche e l’imbarbarimento della guerra (1941-1945), il Mulino più Christopher R. Browning, Uomini comuni. Polizia tedesca e in Polonia, Einaudi
8) La violence de guerre 1914-1945, Sous la direction de S. Audoin-Rouzeau, A. Becker, Chr.Ingrao, H. Rousso, Editions Complete

Other texts can be agreed with the teacher

Type of delivery of the course

The course is divided into two parts, an introductory part on the definitions and interpretations of war and a thematic part in which military policy, the preparation and conduct of war will be related to the level of cultural, economic and technological development of society. Some case studies will be presented and discussed. The topics covered in the course, as well as the related readings, will be defined during lectures and discussion of the papers presented by the students. Attendance is strongly recommended. Introductory and introductory lectures to the discussions are planned.

Attendance

Class attendance is not mandatory but strongly recommended.

Type of evaluation

Oral test