Where Have all the Soldiers Gone? -- 7 June 2011
Historian and Professor Emeritus of Stanford University, Dr. James J. Sheehan will visit SHAPE to discuss his book, "Where Have all the Soldiers Gone? The Transformation of Modern Europe." The presenations and discussion will take place from 0930 to 1030 on 7 June in the PAO Auditorium.
Dr. Sheehan offers a history of and commentary on Europe and war in the twentieth century. He argues there has been a transformation from a multi-state region, defined by its capacity to make war, to a loosely connected confederation of civilian states more focused on economic growth, prosperity and personal security. To explore this transformation, Sheehan examines the changes in modern warfare and the mobilization of national economies for war.
Dr. Sheehan asserts that, for centuries, war was Europe's defining narrative, affecting every aspect of political, social, and cultural life. After World War II, Europe began to re-imagine statehood, rejecting ballooning defense budgets in favor of material well-being, social stability, and economic growth. In his analysis Sheehan offers an explanation of how and why this happened, and what it means for America and the rest of the world. He covers the major intellectual and political events in Europe over the past one hundred years, from the pacifist and militarist movements of the early twentieth century and two catastrophic world wars to the fall of the Berlin Wall and the heated debate over Iraq. This authoritative history provides much-needed context for understanding the fractured era in which we live.
For more information about Dr. Sheehan and his book:
http://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/64350/philip-h-gordon/where-have-all-the-soldiers-gone-the-transformation-of-modern-eu
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/10/books/review/Wheatcroft-t.html
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/01/10/AR2008011003628.html
http://www.amazon.com/Where-Have-Soldiers-Gone-Transformation/dp/0618353968