Global War, Global Catastrophe

The First World War had a massive impact on Aotearoa New Zealand, but we were far from alone. In this lecture, Professor Maartje Abbenhuis explains how fundamental the First World War was for communities around the world, whether they actually fought in the war or not. She argues that it is only by including non-belligerent, neutral and subject communities in a general history of the war can we truly appreciate the 1914-1918 conflict as a ‘total global war’.

Maartje Abbenhuis, Professor in Modern History at Waipapa Taumata Rau University of Auckland. She is the author of a number of books on the history of war, peace, neutrality and international ideas in the period 1815-1918, including: The Art of Staying Neutral: The Netherlands in the First World War (2006); An Age of Neutrals: Great Power Politics 1815-1914 (2014); The Hague Conferences in International Politics 1898-1915 (2018); The First Age of Industrial Globalisation: An International History 1815-1918 (co-authored, 2019) and has just released her latest co-authored book entitled Global War, Global Catastrophe: Neutrals, Belligerents and the Transformation of the First World War 1914-1918 (2021). Currently, she is working on a history of dum-dum bullets.

For seating purposes please RSVP in groups to: heritage@pncc.govt.nz or phone 06 351 4100 ext. 7377.