Aftershocks: Politics and Trauma in Britain, 1918–1931

242 Pages·2009·0.887 MB·English

by  Susan Kingsley Kent (auth.)

Aftershocks
Politics and Trauma in Britain,
1918–1931
Susan Kingsley Kent
Aftershocks
AlsoBySusanKingsleyKent
SEXANDSUFFRAGEINBRITAIN,1860–1914
MAKINGPEACE:THERECONSTRUCTIONOFGENDERININTERWARBRITAIN
GENDERANDPOWERINBRITAIN,1640–1990
HISTORYOFWESTERNCIVILIZATIONSINCE1500:ANECOLOGICALAPPROACH
Aftershocks
Politics and Trauma in Britain,
1918–1931
Susan Kingsley Kent
ProfessorofHistory,UniversityofColorado,Boulder,USA
©SusanKingsleyKent2009
Softcover reprint of the hardcover 1st edition 2009 978-1-4039-9333-5
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Firstpublished2009by
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LibraryofCongressCataloging-in-PublicationData
Kent,SusanKingsley1952May9–
Aftershocks:politicsandtraumainBritain,1918–1931/Susan
KingsleyKent.
p. cm.
Includesbibliographicalreferencesandindex.
1.GreatBritain—Socialconditions—20thcentury 2. Great
Britain—Politicsandgovernment—1910–1936. 3. Warneuroses—Great
Britain—History—20thcentury. 4. WorldWar,1914–1918—Psychological
aspects—GreatBritain. 5. WorldWar,1914–1918—Social
aspects—GreatBritain. I.Title.
DA578.K462009
941.083—dc22 2008035148
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 10 09
To all of those whose lives Elisa touched
and to
Anne, who has touched mine so profoundly
This page intentionally left blank
Contents
Acknowledgements viii
Introduction 1
1 Britons’ShatteredPsyche 10
2 Jews,“Blacks,”andthePromisesofRadicalConservatism,
1919–1925 35
3 TheAmritsarMassacre,1919–1920 64
4 ReprisalsinIreland,1919–1921 91
5 TheGeneralStrikeof1926 122
6 FlappersandtheIgboWomen’sWarof1929(withMarc
Matera) 149
Conclusion:Resolvingthe“NationalCrisis”of1929–1931 180
Notes 196
Bibliography 218
Index 226
vii
Acknowledgements
Ithastakenme15yearstowritethisbook.InthattimeIhaveincurred
many,manydebts,andItakegreatpleasureinbeingablenowtothank
everyone who helped me. Support from the Institute for Advanced
Study,theNationalEndowmentfortheHumanities,andPhilDiStefano,
Susan Avery, and Todd Gleeson at the University of Colorado gave me
the time and space I needed to gather evidence, think, and write. At
the Institute, I benefited from the intellectual and personal fellowship
ofJoanScott,AvaBaron,LindaGregerson,StephenMullaney,andDan
Sherman; the library staff there and at Princeton University provided
mewithuntoldriches.JeanAllman,MistyBastian,JeffCox,JimCronin,
SteveFeierman,JaneGallop,JaneGarrity,NickyGullace,HollyHanson,
Janet Jacobs, Alison Jagger, Marc Matera, Marjorie McIntosh, Bob
Moeller, Susan Pedersen, Lou Roberts, Sonya Rose, Diana Shull, Janet
Watson, and Jay Winter offered opportunities, comments, criticisms,
and suggestions that facilitated my research and writing. Thanks to
youall.
At Palgrave, Michael Strang, Ruth Ireland, and Geetha Naren gave
much-appreciatedguidance,assistance,andsupport.
My good friends and colleagues Fred Anderson, Virginia Anderson,
CarolByerly,PhilDeloria,andMarthaHanna,andanunknownreader
forapressthatoptednottopublishthisbookgavemeincrediblyhelp-
ful advice as I went about conceptualizing my arguments. They asked
me to think much more carefully about the relationship between the-
ory and practice and the book is the stronger for their contributions.
Iammostgratefultothem.JonLawrencewentthroughthemanuscript
withakeeneyeforerrorsoffactandinterpretation;hisinputandassis-
tance strengthened the book immeasurably. I owe him big time. And
mydearfriendBonnieSmith,whohastalkedwithmeaboutthisbook
since its inception, gave generously of her time, energies, knowledge,
and heart to ensure that it was as good as I could make it. I am deeply
indebtedtoher.
viii
Acknowledgements ix
Thedeathofmyniece,ElisaKentMendelsohn,in1986inspiredmeto
investigate the issues of trauma and loss I treat in this book—I needed
to know how people in the past handled such a terrible tragedy. This
bookisdedicatedtoherfamily,whofeelthepainandthejoyofherto
thisveryday,andtoAnneDavidson,whohasbeenaconstantsourceof
love,laughter,andsupport.