World War I and II: causes, consequences, and global impact

¶ … David Fromkin's "A Peace to End All Peace." From the beginning, the review provides intriguing information, including the fact that the title relates to the ideal of "a war to end all wars." The ironic nature of this phrase has been the subject of discussion and occasional mirth for all the years after the war. I was delighted to find out the name of the originator of the term, British commander Archibald Wavell, since this is not something I knew before.

The review provides several pieces of interesting information, including the fact that the British, and particularly Kitchener, were largely ignorant about the social and cultural nature of the Middle East, making the British policy for this region largely ineffective at best and explosive at worst. Another piece of interesting information is the mistaken belief that a conspiracy was underway to undermine the position of the British in the Middle East. When this is taken into account, it appears that little has been learned from history. Even today, people tend to make assumptions without deeper investigation or even an attempt at critical thinking. This is evidenced by the many conspiracy theories that exist today and also by the way in which prejudice often still prevails over an ability to remain tolerant.

The review taught me a lot about the First World War and the history that led up to the conflict situations, especially where Britain is concerned.

This is also the case with the second reading, which considers Africa as a region of major conflict during and after the Second World War. This review of "World War II in Colonial Africa" by Richard Osborne is intriguing in various ways.

One of these is the description of Mussolini's role in creating a platform of the war involving the African continent. It seems to me that he was a typical politician in this regard, seeking power and relevance rather than acting as a true and caring leader for his people. Like conspiracy theories and intolerance, it appears that little has changed in this regard either. Politicians today remain deceptive, power hungry, and essentially uncaring of anything but their own welfare.