Thursday, November 9, 2017
THE WAR THAT ENDED PEACE
10:30am | MARGARET MACMILLAN
The First World War followed a period of sustained peace in Europe during which people talked with confidence of
prosperity, progress and hope. But in 1914, Europe walked into a catastrophic conflict that killed millions, bled its
economies dry, shook empires and societies to pieces, and fatally undermined Europe’s dominance of the world. It
was a war that could have been avoided up to the last moment — so why did it happen?
Beginning in the early 19th century and ending with the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, award-winning
historian Margaret MacMillan uncovers the huge political and technological changes, national decisions, and just as
important, the small moments of human muddle and weakness that led Europe from peace to disaster. This masterful
exploration of how Europe chose its path towards war will change and enrich how we see this defining moment in history.
WHAT AMERICANS SHOULD KNOW ABOUT THE GREAT WAR
4:00pm | JAY WINTER
2017 marks the 100th anniversary of America’s entry into the Great War, which by then had been raging for three years on the European
Continent. Jay Winter, professor emeritus at Yale, is widely regarded as an expert on World War I and its impact on culture and society. He
will give us a front-row seat to America’s role in the war that made the United States the dominant world power. His insights into the war
are guaranteed to