Warring States. 481-221BC. Chinese period of many small feuding kingdoms.

Warsaw. 1596 Polish capital. 1655 Sweden destroys. 1795 Prussia. 1807 Napoleon creates Duchy. 1813 Russia. 1815 Kingdom of Poland. 1939-45 Germany occupies.

Warsaw Pact. 1955-91. USSR, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, E Germany, Hungary, Poland, Romania. Treaty for the combined defence of Eastern Europe under Soviet supreme command.

Warsaw Uprising. 1830-1. Czartoryski attempt to oust Russians crushed. 1944. Polish underground army defeats Germans but Soviet delay allows German reinforcements to defeat Poles, destroying potential opposition to later Soviet control.

Warwick, Earl of. 1428-71. “The Kingmaker”-. Helped York Edward IV, then restored Lancaster Henry VI.

Washington, George. 1732-99. American Revolution commander, First US President.

Waters, Muddy. 1915-83. US Rhythm and Blues singer. Inspired Rolling Stones.

Watling Street. Roman road from London to NW England. Part still in use.

Watson, James. 1928-. US discoverer of DNA structure 1953 with Crick.

Watt, James. 1736-1819. Scottish engineer, perfected steam engine, 1769. Defined horsepower. Rotating engine 1781.

Wattignies, Battle. 1793. Inexperienced French army defeats professional Austrians. French Revolution.

Weather Forecasts. 1860. First regularly issued by British Admiralty Office.

Webb, Matthew. 1848-83. English. First to swim across English Channel, 1875.

Webb, Sidney. 1859-1947. Beatrice. 1858-1943. British Fabian Socialists. Founded London School of Economics, New Statesman 1913.

Weber, Anton. 1883-1945. “Pointilist” composer. Early user of 12-note method.

Weber, Max. 1864-1920. German sociologist. Prostestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism 1930.

Webster, Daniel. 1782-1852. Noted US orator, nationalist. Founded Whigs.

Webster, Noah. 1758-1843. US lexicographer. Simplified American spelling. Speller 1783. Dictionary 1828.

Webster-Ashburton, Treaty. 1842. Britain, US settle Eastern US-Canada border, suppress slave trade.

Wedgwood, Josiah. 1730-95. English potter, developed new style, 1763. Automation, 1769, begins Industrial Revolution.

Wei. 220-80. Southern China dynasty. Conquered Shu Han 264, Wu 280.

Weil, Simone. 1909-43. French mystic philosopher. Gravity and Grace 1947.

Weill, Kurt. 1900-50. German surrealist satirical opera composer. Socio-political operas of great influence on future composers. ThreePenny Opera 1928 with Brecht. Happy End 1929.

Weimar Republic. 1919-33. Post WWI Germany. Hyperinflation, unemployment, instability. Rise of Nazism.

Weismann, August. 1834-1914. German. Germ-plasm theory of heredity.

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