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“The first great twentieth century world war” has been widely written about and examined, therefore making Lowell Ragatz’s attempt to supplement and focus on important aspects of this event fair. Some of the information, however, may have enhanced the chapter if it was left out, and an emphasis was made on other sections of the road to war. Overall, nonetheless, the author did a good job to extract information that would reinforce one’s knowledge of the subject, while still being selective. There is an extensive focus on imperialism and its contribution to the emergence of the war. Imperialism, according to the chapter, was the basis for national relations of the time. The tide had turned to a situation where the individual associated himself with the needs and interest of the nation at large, rather than personal endeavors. Such a description of imperialism clarifies reasons why the war was accepted, rather than it being met by mass hostility. The chapter, however, seems to focus extensively on the definitions of imperialism and its relation and non-relation to nationalism and colonialism. Its importance in shaping the foreign relations of 1815 is, in contrary to the author’s statements, overemphasized. This