Germany and Europe 1919-1939

This study, though primarily analytical, opens with an introductory general section covering the years immediately after the First World War and the domestic context of policy making from 1919 to 1939. The main substance of the book consists of a series of chapters devoted to Germany's relations with the different European powers : Britain, France, Russia, Italy and Eastern Europe. The concluding chapter analyses Hitler's role in Germany's foreign policy before the Second World War, comparing and contrasting it with the foreign policy of the Weimar republic. Dr Hiden is not confined to a narrow diplomatic approach. He takes a balanced view of the period as a whole, paying as much attention to the Weimar as to the Nazi years. His treatment sets Germany in her full European context, but by separating her individual relationships he is able to clarify her complex role in this critical period. His book will be of interest to all those concerned with modern history, politics and international affairs.