The course focuses on the major diplomatic developments in Europe from 1814 through the end of the Cold War in 1991. It traces the emergence of the European state system after the Treaty of Westphalia and the impact of the revolution in France on European diplomatic relations. It examines the diplomatic system established at the Congress of Vienna through the crises and conflicts of the mid-19th century. The course also examines the various factors that led to the First World War, the developments of the interwar period, the origins and conduct of the Second World War, and the origins of the Cold War. The final lessons will explore Europe's role in the Cold War, the rise of international organizations, trans-national diplomacy, the end of the Cold War, and recent modifications to Europe's role in world affairs.
