In this course we will explore the broad outlines of 20th century history, which Eric Hobsbawm termed “the age of extremes.” Our main theme will be the interplay of war and revolution. World War One (1914-1919) released unprecedented, mass political forms including fascism, communism, ultra-nationalism, and movements for national independence. World War Two (1939-45) and the Cold War (1945- 1989) produced a tenuous era of American hegemony that barely contained the revolutionary forces released by World War One. Throughout the entire era the center of gravity of the world economy and politics shifted gradually toward Asia and especially China, to which we will devote special attention. Works to be studied include those of Mark Mazower, Adam Tooze, Giovanni Arrighi, John Dower, Timothy Snyder, and Masao Maruyama.