An Historian in Peace and War: The Diaries of Harold TemperleyT.G. Otte The First World War and subsequent peace settlement shaped the course of the twentieth century, and the profound significance of these events were not lost on Harold Temperley, whose diaries are presented here. An established scholar, and later one of Britain’s foremost modern and diplomatic historians, Temperley enlisted in the army at the outbreak of the war in August 1914. Invalided home from the Dardanelles campaign in 1915, he spent the remainder of the war and its aftermath as a general staff officer in military intelligence. Here he played a significant role in preparing British strategy for the eventual peace conference and in finalising several post-war boundaries in Eastern Europe. Later, in the 1920s and 1930s, Temperley was to co-edit the British diplomatic documents on the origins of the war; and the vicissitudes of modern Great Power politics were to be his principal preoccupation. Beginning in June 1916, the diary presents a more or less daily record of Temperley’s activities and observations throughout the war and subsequent peace negotiations. As a professional historian he appreciated the significance of eyewitness accounts, and if Temperley was not at the very heart of Allied decision-making during those years, he certainly had a ringside seat. Trained to observe accurately, he recorded the concerns and confusions of wartime, conscious always of the historical significance of what he observed. As a result there are few sources that match Temperley’s diary, which presents a fascinating and unique perspective upon the politics and diplomacy of the First World War and its aftermath. |
From inside the book
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... Professor Otte's felicitous phrase, the ones with 'ringside seats' rather than the contestants. Temperley began his diaries in the autumn of 1916 and continued them until his premature death in July 1939, since when they have remained ...
... Professor Otte's felicitous phrase, the ones with 'ringside seats' rather than the contestants. Temperley began his diaries in the autumn of 1916 and continued them until his premature death in July 1939, since when they have remained ...
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... Professor H.N.V. Temperley, and his family, who kindly gave me access to the diaries and other papers, and offered pertinent advice on them. I rather fear that I have kept him waiting for longer than both he and I had originally thought ...
... Professor H.N.V. Temperley, and his family, who kindly gave me access to the diaries and other papers, and offered pertinent advice on them. I rather fear that I have kept him waiting for longer than both he and I had originally thought ...
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... professors and Balkan diplomats regarded public opinion as a diplomatic weapon of the British government, to Satow, 5 Mar. 1916, Satow MSS, PRO 30/33/13/2; see also his criticism of the Duke of Newcastle for 'turn[ing] with every ...
... professors and Balkan diplomats regarded public opinion as a diplomatic weapon of the British government, to Satow, 5 Mar. 1916, Satow MSS, PRO 30/33/13/2; see also his criticism of the Duke of Newcastle for 'turn[ing] with every ...
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... Professor of International Law, University College London, 1962–75. 132 'Historians in Congress', The Times, 30 Aug. 1938. Temperley was president of the congress, 1933–38. 133 Temperley to Seton-Watson, 25 June 1938, Butterfield MSS ...
... Professor of International Law, University College London, 1962–75. 132 'Historians in Congress', The Times, 30 Aug. 1938. Temperley was president of the congress, 1933–38. 133 Temperley to Seton-Watson, 25 June 1938, Butterfield MSS ...
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... professor of modern history. His inaugural lecture, delivered in November of that year, revealed something of his personal scholarly credo. Immersion in the past through studying the sources and through imbibing something of the culture ...
... professor of modern history. His inaugural lecture, delivered in November of that year, revealed something of his personal scholarly credo. Immersion in the past through studying the sources and through imbibing something of the culture ...
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A.J. B[alfour active service ag[ain]st Albania Allied Athens Austria-Hungary Austrian Balfour Balkan Belgrade Bratianu British Bulgaria Bulgars C[urzon Cabinet Chief Clemenceau commander Council delegate diary Director divisions Dobrudja England Entente entered army entered diplomatic service entry favour Fiume forces Foreign Minister France French frontier G[eneral G[eorge German Gov[ernmen]t Government Greece Greek H[arold historian Hungarian Hungary I[mperial Intelligence Italian Italy Jugoslavs July June King King’s Klagenfurt L[loyd League of Nations letter Lloyd George London Lord Macedonia Magyar military Milner Montenegro MP Cons MP Lib Nikšić Office Paris Peace Conference Philip Kerr Podgorica Poland political politician President Prime Minister Prince Professor railway Romania Roumania Russian Salonica Sarrail Scutari Secretary seemed Serbia Serbs sh[oul]d Slovenes soldier Sonnino speech spoke Staff telegram Temperley MSS Temperley’s Thessaly thought Tino told Treaty troops Under-secretary v[ide Venizelist Venizelos W[ar w[oul]d Wilson