On February 24, 2022, Russian troops launched a massive full-scale invasion of the Ukraine setting in motion the largest military conflict in Europe since the Second World War. Thousands have been killed and the fighting has displaced more than a quarter of Ukraine’s pre-war population. Although the West rallied to defend the Ukraine, the protracted conflict has strained the Western Alliance and threatens to undermine the world order The United States and its Allies fostered during what Time publisher Henry Luce called “The American Century.” This lecture will explore the core diplomatic, military, and political events that shaped over a century of United States foreign policy and offers insights on how to think about and understand the current crisis in U.S.-European relations.

David Livingstone received BA and MA degrees in History from California State University, Northridge and a PhD in Modern European History from the University of California, San Diego. He has taught at California Lutheran University, Moorpark College, and the United States Naval War College. He specializes in European political, diplomatic and military history with an emphasis on modern Germany.

The Fifty and Better (FAB) program was designed for people ages 50 and older, seeking intellectual stimulation through university-level courses — without the pressure of grades — for the sake of learning and social engagement.