Instant European History: From the French Revolution to the Cold War

Book excerpt: From the French Revolution to the Cold War, this spirited chronicle brings European history to life, following the trails of treachery, unearthing the dirt on key historical figures, and reconstructing dramatic revolutionary battles. So if you've ever wondered why Napolean's boundless ambition led to Waterloo or how Hitler stalled on the rocky road to Moscow, this book is for you. Besides uncovering all the juicy facts you forgot from History 101,Instant European History reveals the surprising side of people and events that conventional accounts ignore. You'll learn: Why the first king of Great Britain couldn't speak English. Why the "war to end all wars" was followed by...another war. How the guillotine gave French Revolutionaries a middle-class tax cut. How a German exile invented the philosophy that made Russia see red.