World War I was a bloodletting so vast and unprecedented that for a generation it was known simply as the Great War. Casualty lists reached unimagined proportions as the same ground — places like Ypres and the Somme — was fought over again and again. Other major bloody battles remain vivid in memory to this day: Gallipoli and the Battle of Jutland are but two examples. Europe was at war with … itself, and the effect on Western civilization was profound, its repercussions felt even today.
World War I saw the introduction of modern technology into the military arena: The tank, airplane, machine gun, submarine, and — most lethal of all — poison gas, all received their first widespread use. Professor Stokesbury analyzes these technological innovations and the war’s complex military campaigns in lucid detail. At the same time he discusses the great political events that unfolded during the war, such as the Russian Revolution and the end of the Hapsburg dynasty, putting the social and political side of the war into the context of modern European history.
A Short History of World War I is the first history of this war to be written in twenty years. It incorporates recent research and current thinking about the war in a highly readable and lively style.
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Great short history of a war fading into the past. Takes us well beyond the usual descriptions of endless mud and trench warfare in Northern Europe, explores both the background/diplomacy and lesser known fronts.
Amazing. Can’t get over the number of lives lost. Did not realize the effect WWI had on Russia.
Very well written from a historical perspective.
interesting; not a page turner
Solid if dry history of the worst war in history
“A Short History of World War I” was written in very stark, realistic and descriptive language. It was hard to lay this story aside for any reason. The book was filled with action from beginning to end. Attacks from the trench into “no man’s land” were bloody and futile, especially for the attacker, Many times the introduction of new …
A great short history of World War 1 without getting into a lot of detail. It is made me want to read more in depth about World War 1
Too much detail for a short history…lost interest
Organized accurate history book that explains all one needs to know about WWI written with a bit of a sense of humor as well. Easy to read and informative.
This history of WWl is a exercise in the futility of war predicated on a weak foundation.Few European nations escaped from the amazing number of deaths and injuries resulting from this conflict.Moreover,the subsequent armistice discussions laid the groundwork for WWll.
My frustration in reading this book is the many detailed battles fought over a …
A really great book about the 1st world war with all the facts about how it started to all the great battles and high loss of lives
The perfect length to give the right information on this war and its effects. A terrific background if you are more of a WWII buff.
Looking for brief information about the Great War.
Not an easy read. However many interesting facts about Russian involvement in WW2. Interesting to see how they were drawn into the conflict. Also how poor their leadership was at the time.
Very informative regarding the troop movements and strategies of WW I. Not much in the way of describing the horror faced by the soldiers in battle or how they coped with the horrendous conditions during the war. Mostly a recitation of troop movements.
Any “short history” is going to gloss over details, but this is a pretty clear overview of what was going on in WWI. It’s not just “army 1 moved here and fought army 2” either, there’s a fair amount of background high-level analysis so you understand the why, not just the what.
Now that it is 100 years ago WW1 gets short drift compared to WW2. Found the book informative, interesting entanglements I was unaware of and although close to a history text did not have a problem getting through it.
The title says it all. This would be a good read for someone with curiosity about ww1but without the need to delve deeply into it