I asked Hugh White: If he could force every Australian statesman and stateswoman to read one book, what would it be? His answer: A.J.P. Taylor's The Origins of The Second World War. What if he could prescribe a book to the members of the CCP's Politburo? "They've read 'em all"

Dumbass boomer

Haha yes they’re all Philosopher Kings, not nepo baby gangsters who’ve had every door held open for them..

Full conversation and all 11 books here:

It's not CCP. It's CPC.

AJP Taylor’s “The Struggle for Mastery in Europe 1848-1918” (also on his list) should also be required reading, especially for those attempting to resolve conflicts now. “Sleepwalkers” by Christopher Clark is another.

Sleepwalkers is a good suggestion - and more rigorous than The Guns of August.

Had a crystal ball shown the Kaiser, Tsar, Hapsburg that in fourvyearsvtheirvempirescand dynasties would be gone they’d not have started WW1. I like to think if Putin had foreseen he’d be bogged down in Ukraine for 4 years and lost a million men, he’d have stopped.

I read that book in my World History class Freshman year at William & Mary in Spring 1978. Some of the assertions made have stayed with me. Good recommendation.

When freedom loving ppl say “at what cost” in response to Chinese PR about flying cars & a bajillion miles of high speed rail & a high functioning society, send this their way. How many ppl would sign up to reading some books (vs 30 sec instagram reels) in exchange to a high culture society???

Exactly.

4 hours, ok, will try to do it tomorrow ;) sounds interesting

If FDR had been followed by Henry Wallace would the Cold War have occurred at all ? Could Stalin and successors have been accommodated with less intense anti communism crusades by the US?

Very interesting book

Sounds a bit cultish

ajp taylor presents one view people whove only read ajp taylor are common and boring

@BartosiakJacek irrationality is part of strategy, structural flaws not intentions create wars, great powers move under systemic pressure not morality, and systems push leaders toward decisions that seem insane yet follow the logic of power

This is one man that understands the terrain and should be listened to. He is right. Sino-phobia is akin to sticking your head in the sand and refusing to see things in plain sight.

Retard

Do yourself a favor: don’t read Taylor’s Origins of the Second World War

@Kakabhushundi

I highly doubt the CCP Politburo has read this book. Would do them a lot of good though.