Just Finished Reading: The Vertigo Years – Change and Culture in the West, 1900-1914 by Philipp Blom (FP: 2008) [407pp] 

Every age considers itself unique, with its own unique problems and its own special achievements. Our age (such as it is) is no exception and neither was the first 15 years of the 20th century as it led up to the First World War. Of course, the people living through that age had no (or at least little) idea of what was coming their way – probably the only real example I can think of ignorance being bliss – but as the years rolled on some began to suspect what was coming and, almost unbelievably, some actively welcomed it when it arrived as we see, and gape in incomprehension, in the crowds both marching off to war and those cheering them from the sidelines. But such celebration of the coming apocalypse (which only we can see in hindsight) is far, far from inexplicable. Although such a cataclysm wasn’t exactly inevitable a look at European culture during this age of rapid change presents us with straws in the wind and red flags (some of them waved by actual people) galore! 

With what we know now about what was ahead for Europe and the world – a war like no other followed by decades of uncertainty followed by a second even more destructive war followed by nuclear fire and an extended Cold War with the ever-present threat of extinction under ever more nuclear fire – the opening decade and a half of the 20th century is often looked upon as a Golden Age. It was, in actuality, nothing of the sort. Those who lived through the era of radical changes and increased radicalism seemed to be moving through a period of history were nothing, not politics, religion, the economy or even sexuality itself was certain. As technology enabled mass printing and education of the working class enabled a deeper understanding of the forces of history, political parties emerged on both Left and Right to fight for their respective ideologies. Across Europe and the United States waves of strikes, protests and assassinations shook the very foundations of established society. Women, in particular, questioned their position in society like never before. With increased education and a growing realisation of their lack of power, they protested for more rights, more say in their own affairs and more say in the running of their particular country. In some places they managed to secure the vote while in others it took years longer and much more (sometimes violent) effort. Naturally, men responded – both in assisting women to gain those rights and in doing everything in their power to stop them. The struggle was not all political however, as more men questioned their role in society, in marriage and at work. What exactly WAS a man? Many, it appeared, were not exactly sure... 

I have often wondered about those grainy moving images of French, German, British and other armies marching to war in 1914 cheering as if they’d just been given the greatest gift imaginable. Didn’t they KNOW what was going to happen next? Didn’t they realise they were about to step into a meat-grinder en masse? Part of the answer is, of course not! How could they? But that’s only part of the explanation. The reason for the cheering was that many believed that THIS war could not only be over swiftly because of their advances in military technology (a thing to be celebrated itself and not believed to be equally present in their enemies) but that it would both allow the combatants to SHOW the world what real ***** men (insert nation as required) looked and acted like but that, in the cleansing process of war a new, better and more understandable world would be created out of the decadent old world that had produced the war in the first place. The war would be quick, decisive and would change everything for the better – and each nation marching forward was CONVINCED that THEY would win it. We know otherwise. 

In some ways this book was a revelation. Although I had *some* appreciation of the decade or so prior to WW1 I didn’t really have a structure or narrative to put things together – I do now. Looking forward from 1900 rather than backwards from 2008 the author can show the cultural drift towards war that the participants were unaware of – from THEIR point of view. Some wanted war for all the wrong reasons, some simply wanted, sometimes radical, change but sought a path that almost gave states permission to go to war on their behalf. We know full well what happened next. They, most fortunately, did not. If you have ever wondered exactly why Europe drifted into war in 1914 this is definitely the book for you. Very well written it was a delight and an eye-opener from the first page to the last. I'm looking forward to reading his other work on the Inter-War years. Definitely recommended.