This year, 2014, marks the centenary of World War I. Historians continue to debate its fundamental causes but all agree that it was sparked by the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria-Hungary. The website below provides a timeline:
http://history1900s.about.com/od/1910s/a/World-War-1-Timeline.htme:
The eminent historian Margaret Macmillan recently revisited the causes of the so-called "Great War" and wonders if there are parallels today, specifically: Will there be another Great War, this time involving the USA and China on opposing sides? Her essay below, for the Brookings Institution, is a must-read for all who share her concern about the dangers to peace in the Asia-Pacific -- and the wider international system that had secured the peace (globally) for nearly 70 years:
The Rhyme of History: Lessons of the Great War
http://www.brookings.edu/research/essays/2013/rhyme-of-history
There is also a critique of her essay in The Diplomat:
Rhyme and Reason: Why 2014 Doesn't Have To Be 1914
http://thediplomat.com/2014/01/rhyme-and-reason-why-2014-doesnt-have-to-be-1914/
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Finally, if you have 21 minutes to spare, watch this TED presentation by Martin Jacques, the author of "When China Rules the World":
Understanding the Rise of China
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oT8ki6ciopI
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