Sidney Bradshaw Fay
Encyclopedia
Sidney Bradshaw Fay was an American historian
, revisionist historian
, whose reexamination of the causes of World War I
, The Origins of the World War (1928; revised edition 1930) remains a classic study. Fay left Harvard University
(Ph.D. 1900) to study at the Sorbonne
and the University of Berlin. He taught at Dartmouth College
(1902–14) and Smith College
(1914–29), and, after the publication of his major book, at both Harvard and Yale University
.
Fay's conclusion was that all the European powers shared in the blame, but most of all the system of secret alliances that divided Europe after the Franco-Prussian War
into two mutually suspicious camps of group solidarity, Triple Alliance
against Triple Entente
(Fay's student Allan B. Calhamer
, would later develop and publish the game Diplomacy
, based on this thesis); but that Austro-Hungary, Serbia
and Russia
were primarily responsible for the immediate cause of war's outbreak. Other forces besides militaristic
nationalism
were at work: the economics of imperialism
and the newspaper press
played roles.
Fay also wrote The Rise of Brandenburg-Prussia to 1786 (1937).
He married (17 August 1904) Sarah Eliza Proctor.
Sidney Bradshaw Fay. Northampton, Mass.: Dept. of history of Smith college, 1916.
The origins of the World War, by Sidney Bradshaw Fay. 2 vols. New York: The
Macmillan Company, 1928; 2d ed., rev. New York: Free Press, 1966.
The rise of Brandenburg-Prussia to 1786, by Sidney Bradshaw Fay. New York:
H. Holt and Company, c1937; Reprint, Malabar, Fla.: R.E. Krieger Pub. Co., 1981.
A guide to historical literature, edited by George Matthew Dutcher, Henry
Robinson Shipman, Sidney Bradshaw Fay, Augustus Hunt Shearer, William Henry Allison. New York: The Macmillan company, 1937.
Germany: revised and edited from the work of Bayard Taylor, by Sidney B. Fay.
"Memorial edition." New York: P. F. Collier & Son Corporation, c1939.
Historian
A historian is a person who studies and writes about the past and is regarded as an authority on it. Historians are concerned with the continuous, methodical narrative and research of past events as relating to the human race; as well as the study of all history in time. If the individual is...
, revisionist historian
Historical revisionism
In historiography, historical revisionism is the reinterpretation of orthodox views on evidence, motivations, and decision-making processes surrounding a historical event...
, whose reexamination of the causes of World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, The Origins of the World War (1928; revised edition 1930) remains a classic study. Fay left Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
(Ph.D. 1900) to study at the Sorbonne
Sorbonne
The Sorbonne is an edifice of the Latin Quarter, in Paris, France, which has been the historical house of the former University of Paris...
and the University of Berlin. He taught at Dartmouth College
Dartmouth College
Dartmouth College is a private, Ivy League university in Hanover, New Hampshire, United States. The institution comprises a liberal arts college, Dartmouth Medical School, Thayer School of Engineering, and the Tuck School of Business, as well as 19 graduate programs in the arts and sciences...
(1902–14) and Smith College
Smith College
Smith College is a private, independent women's liberal arts college located in Northampton, Massachusetts. It is the largest member of the Seven Sisters...
(1914–29), and, after the publication of his major book, at both Harvard and Yale University
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
.
Fay's conclusion was that all the European powers shared in the blame, but most of all the system of secret alliances that divided Europe after the Franco-Prussian War
Franco-Prussian War
The Franco-Prussian War or Franco-German War, often referred to in France as the 1870 War was a conflict between the Second French Empire and the Kingdom of Prussia. Prussia was aided by the North German Confederation, of which it was a member, and the South German states of Baden, Württemberg and...
into two mutually suspicious camps of group solidarity, Triple Alliance
Triple Alliance
Triple Alliance may refer to:* Aztec Triple Alliance - Tenochtitlan, Texcoco and Tlacopan; better known as the Aztec Empire* Triple Alliance - England, France and the Dutch Republic...
against Triple Entente
Triple Entente
The Triple Entente was the name given to the alliance among Britain, France and Russia after the signing of the Anglo-Russian Entente in 1907....
(Fay's student Allan B. Calhamer
Allan B. Calhamer
Allan B. Calhamer invented the board game Diplomacy.A friend of Calhamer's recounted how, when they were boys in La Grange Park, Illinois, he and Calhamer "discovered in the attic a geography book that showed a map of Europe before World War I with the ... old boundaries." Years later, Calhamer...
, would later develop and publish the game Diplomacy
Diplomacy (game)
Diplomacy is a strategic board game created by Allan B. Calhamer in 1954 and released commercially in 1959. Its main distinctions from most board wargames are its negotiation phases and the absence of dice or other game elements that produce random effects...
, based on this thesis); but that Austro-Hungary, Serbia
Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
and Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
were primarily responsible for the immediate cause of war's outbreak. Other forces besides militaristic
Militarism
Militarism is defined as: the belief or desire of a government or people that a country should maintain a strong military capability and be prepared to use it aggressively to defend or promote national interests....
nationalism
Nationalism
Nationalism is a political ideology that involves a strong identification of a group of individuals with a political entity defined in national terms, i.e. a nation. In the 'modernist' image of the nation, it is nationalism that creates national identity. There are various definitions for what...
were at work: the economics of imperialism
Imperialism
Imperialism, as defined by Dictionary of Human Geography, is "the creation and/or maintenance of an unequal economic, cultural, and territorial relationships, usually between states and often in the form of an empire, based on domination and subordination." The imperialism of the last 500 years,...
and the newspaper press
News media
The news media are those elements of the mass media that focus on delivering news to the general public or a target public.These include print media , broadcast news , and more recently the Internet .-Etymology:A medium is a carrier of something...
played roles.
Fay also wrote The Rise of Brandenburg-Prussia to 1786 (1937).
He married (17 August 1904) Sarah Eliza Proctor.
Works
The Hohenzollern household and administration in the sixteenth century, bySidney Bradshaw Fay. Northampton, Mass.: Dept. of history of Smith college, 1916.
The origins of the World War, by Sidney Bradshaw Fay. 2 vols. New York: The
Macmillan Company, 1928; 2d ed., rev. New York: Free Press, 1966.
The rise of Brandenburg-Prussia to 1786, by Sidney Bradshaw Fay. New York:
H. Holt and Company, c1937; Reprint, Malabar, Fla.: R.E. Krieger Pub. Co., 1981.
A guide to historical literature, edited by George Matthew Dutcher, Henry
Robinson Shipman, Sidney Bradshaw Fay, Augustus Hunt Shearer, William Henry Allison. New York: The Macmillan company, 1937.
Germany: revised and edited from the work of Bayard Taylor, by Sidney B. Fay.
"Memorial edition." New York: P. F. Collier & Son Corporation, c1939.