The Great War: How World War I Shaped the Modern World
February 16 @ 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm
Join us for an exclusive four-part series with Professor Stephen M. Berk as we delve into the transformative impact of World War I—The Great War. This seminal event of the 20th century reshaped nations, ideologies, and societies, influencing everything from the rise of Lenin, Mussolini, and Hitler to the global movements for decolonization, women’s rights, and American isolationism. Each session will focus on a pivotal aspect of the war: on February 2, we explore The Kaiser, Pervasive Fear, and National Interest, leading to the Battle of the Marne; on February 9, Verdun and the Somme, battles that epitomize the horror of war; on February 16, Lenin Comes to Power and the Yanks Are Coming, revealing the revolutionary changes and American involvement; and on February 23, Germany Rolls the Dice, examining the diplomacy of war and peace. A distinguished historian and TBS’s 2017 Scholar-in-Residence, Professor Berk brings unparalleled insight and expertise to this exploration of history that continues to shape our world. Presented by the Orange County Community Scholar’s Program and sponsored by TBS Adult Learning.
Register: t-b-s.me/thegreatwar
Stephen M. Berk, who served as CSP’s 10th Annual One Month Scholar in Residence in February 2011, is Professor of History at Union College in Schenectady, New York, former Chair of the Department of History, Director of the Program in Russian and Eastern European Studies and Faculty Advisor to the Jewish Student Organization. He is the author of Year of Crisis, Year of Hope: Russian Jewry and the Pogroms of 1881-1882 (Greenwood Press, 1985). He is currently writing a book titled: Our People Are Your People: American Jewry and the Struggle for Civil Rights 1954-1965. The book provides an interesting discussion of an extremely important chapter in the history of the civil rights movement and attempts to dispel the myths and misunderstandings surrounding the Black-Jewish relationship. A recipient of the Citizens Laureate Award of the University of Albany Foundation, Professor Berk has been a consultant to the Wiesenthal Holocaust Center in Los Angeles, has written articles on Russian and Jewish history, anti-Semitism, and the Middle East and has lectured on throughout the United States and Canada including such distinguished colleges and universities as Princeton, Vanderbilt, The University of Texas at Austin and Williams College.