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OverviewThis book explores Belgian state-building through the prism of its army from independence to the First World War. It argues that party-politics, which often ran along geographical, linguistic, and religious lines, prevented both Flemings and Walloons from reconciling their regional identities into a unified concept of Belgian nationalism. Equally, it obstructed the army from satisfactorily preparing to uphold Belgium's imposed neutrality before 1914. Situated uneasily between the two powerhouses of nineteenth-century Europe, Belgium offers a unique insight into the concepts of citizenship and militarisation in a divided society in the era of fervent nationalism. By examining the composition, experience, and image of the army's officer corps and rank and file, as well as those of the auxiliary forces, this book shows that although military and civilian society often stood aloof from one another, the army, as a national institution, offered a fleeting glimpse into the dichotomy that was pre-war Belgium. Full Product DetailsAuthor: Mario DraperPublisher: Springer International Publishing AG Imprint: Springer International Publishing AG Edition: Softcover reprint of the original 1st ed. 2018 Weight: 0.454kg ISBN: 9783319889290ISBN 10: 331988929 Pages: 281 Publication Date: 06 June 2019 Audience: Professional and scholarly , Professional & Vocational Format: Paperback Publisher's Status: Active Availability: Manufactured on demand We will order this item for you from a manufactured on demand supplier. Table of ContentsChapter 1 - Introduction.Chapter 2 - Securing the Nation.Chapter 3 - The Officer Corps.Chapter 4 - The Rank and File.Chapter 5 - The Auxiliary Forces.Chapter 6 - Fortress Policy and Strategy.Chapter 7 - The Great War.Chapter 8 - Conclusion.IndexReviewsAuthor InformationMario Draper is Lecturer in Modern British and European History at the University of Kent, UK. His research focuses on the links between European armies and their parent societies in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, with a particular focus on identity, nationalism, and citizenship. Tab Content 6Author Website:Countries AvailableAll regions |