The Great War 1914-1918.epub

THE GREAT WAR was the single most important event of the twentieth century, shaping the world that we live in today. Yet it is often regarded as a pointless war; a catastrophic mistake fought for little or no reason.
"In this book we will look at the whys and wherefores of the military conduct of the Great War in an attempt to discern what was really going on, rather than attempt to reference every political, social or artistic movement. At heart, this is a history that will examine the nature of the immense problems encountered by the commanders who bore the ultimate responsibility in battle; the strategic imperatives that drove them into battle; and the tactics they devised to achieve success. Direct quotes from the generals and admirals will show that there was usually a rhyme and a reason to their decisions, while evocative accounts from the men they commanded will show the terrible consequences of those orders for the men who had to enact them. In this, the book will reflect what they knew, or thought they knew, at the time, rather than offer insights vouchsafed by hindsight."

CONTENTS
Maps
Preface
1 The Road to War
2 The Western Front, 1914
3 The Eastern Front, 1914
4 The Sea War, 1914-15
5 The Western Front, 1915
6 The Eastern Front, 1915
7 Gallipoli, 1915
8 Salonika, 1915-18
9 The Western Front, 1916
10 The Eastern Front, 1916
11 The Sea War, 1916
12 Mesopotamia, 1914-18
13 The Eastern Front, 1917-18
14 The Sea War, 1917-18
15 The Western Front, 1917
16 italy, 1915-18
1 7 Palestine, 1915-18
1 8 The Western Front, 1918
19 A World Without War?
Notes
Acknowledgements
Picture Credits
Index