What Difference Did the War Make?

by Brian Brivati, Harriet Jones (Editor)

Despite being one of the central events in 20th-century British history, historians continue to debate the extent to which the war made a difference to British society, politics and foreign relations. This collection of essays brings together some of the leading experts with younger scholars, to provide a balance between the broad analysis and specialized new research. Divided into three sections, it looks in turn at politics and economics, society and the citizen, and Britain's role in the world, always addressing this central what difference did the war make? This book presents articles by specialists in political, social, economic and international history, including Peter Hennessy on post-war politics, Eric Hobsbawn on Britain's comparative postwar position, Geoffrey Warner comparing Britain's world position in 1939 and 1945, and Penny Summerfield on the state of present historiography on the impact of the war on women's lives. It should be of interest to anyone concerned with Britain in the 20th century.

Genres: History

170 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1993

About the author

Dr Brian Brivati has published extensive work on contemporary British politics with an emphasis on the political history of the British Labour party. His biography of Hugh Gaitskell (Richard Cohen Books, 1996) received 10 book of the year selections. His research and teaching has recently extended to comparative work on genocide and human rights. He speakers regularly for the Holocaust Education Trust. His articles have appeared in the Guardian, the Times, the Financial Times, the Independent on Sunday, the Observer, the New Statesman, Progress, the Fabian Review and Parliamentary Brief. He is a regular broadcaster on political history. He has also written a biography of Lord Goodman (Richard Cohen Books, 1999) and edited The Uncollected Foot: Essays, Old and New, 1953-2003 (Politico's, 2003), Ernest Bevin, single volume edition, by Alan Bullock (Politico's, 2002), Guiding Light: the collected speeches of John Smith (Politico's, 2001), The Labour Party: a Centenary History (Macmillan, 2000), Aneurin Bevan, 1897-1960, single volume edition, by Michael Foot (Victor Gollancz, 1997), and New Labour in Power: precedents and prospects (Routledge, 1997).