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Product Description
Hew Strachan is one of the world's foremost experts on the Great War of 1914-18. His ongoing three-volume history of the conflict, the first of which was published in 2001, is likely to become the standard academic reference work: Max Hastings called it 'one of the most impressive books of modern history in a generation', while Richard Holmes hailed it as a 'towering achievement'. Now, Hew Strachan brings his immense knowledge to a one-volume work aimed squarely at the general reader. The inspiration behind the major Channel 4 series of the same name, to which Hew was chief consultant, "The First World War" is a significant addition to the literature on this subject, taking as it does a uniquely global view of what is often misconceived as a prolonged skirmish on the Western Front. Exploring such theatres as the Balkans, Africa and the Ottoman Empire, Strachan assesses Britain's participation in the light of what became a struggle for the defense of liberalism, and show how the war shaped the 'short' twentieth century that followed it. Accessible, compelling and utterly convincing, this is modern history writing at its finest.
About the Author
Professor Hew Strachan is the Chichele Professor of the History of War at Oxford University, and the author of several highly acclaimed books on military history.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
28 of 29 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This is indeed a `new history'.
For such a short book it's scope is wide and yet not lacking in detail or analysis.
Discharging the `Blame Everyone Equally' popular theory and exposing it as little more than a myth, Strachan puts the blame for the conflict firmly at the feet of the Austro-Hungarians.
The tactical aspects of the conflict are explored with some criticism such as the Schlieffen plan being anything but. However Strachan reminds the reader that those responsible for the (now seemingly mindless) strategies were men of their time, and should be viewed as such, and that many of the belligerents war aims were far from futile.
There is also a considerable portion of this book devoted to the largely ignored African aspect of the war.
Almost as revolutionary a work as A.J.P. Taylor's Origins Of The Second World War (but obviously less contentious).
Minor criticisms of the book are that there is very little on the emergence of air war, and nothing is said of the `Avenger' debacle of the French high command.
Nonetheless a book that every Great War enthusiast should own.
For such a short book it's scope is wide and yet not lacking in detail or analysis.
Discharging the `Blame Everyone Equally' popular theory and exposing it as little more than a myth, Strachan puts the blame for the conflict firmly at the feet of the Austro-Hungarians.
The tactical aspects of the conflict are explored with some criticism such as the Schlieffen plan being anything but. However Strachan reminds the reader that those responsible for the (now seemingly mindless) strategies were men of their time, and should be viewed as such, and that many of the belligerents war aims were far from futile.
There is also a considerable portion of this book devoted to the largely ignored African aspect of the war.
Almost as revolutionary a work as A.J.P. Taylor's Origins Of The Second World War (but obviously less contentious).
Minor criticisms of the book are that there is very little on the emergence of air war, and nothing is said of the `Avenger' debacle of the French high command.
Nonetheless a book that every Great War enthusiast should own.
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Almost one hundred years later most people's mental image of the First World War is literally down in the dirt and the mud and the blood. Strachan takes the reader way above that; this volume is mostly concerned with grand strategy and with the economic, political and social forces shaping the military campaigns being waged.
He comprehensively addresses the global nature of the conflict, giving substantial coverage to action in Africa, Asia, off the coasts of South America, in the Middle East, on the Italian front, in the Balkans and on the Eastern front while acknowledging that ultimately it was the Western front where the war was won and lost.
Even readers who believe that they know the period cannot fail to either learn something or at least have their assumptions challenged. Strachan is particularly strong on the relationships within the two competing alliances and describes well why the minor allies (Italy, Bulgaria, Romania, Greece etc) were important beyond their military or industrial capability. He has stimulating opinions on whether the Second World War followed inevitably from its predecessor (he thinks not) and how and why the Entente handled their victory badly.
He comprehensively addresses the global nature of the conflict, giving substantial coverage to action in Africa, Asia, off the coasts of South America, in the Middle East, on the Italian front, in the Balkans and on the Eastern front while acknowledging that ultimately it was the Western front where the war was won and lost.
Even readers who believe that they know the period cannot fail to either learn something or at least have their assumptions challenged. Strachan is particularly strong on the relationships within the two competing alliances and describes well why the minor allies (Italy, Bulgaria, Romania, Greece etc) were important beyond their military or industrial capability. He has stimulating opinions on whether the Second World War followed inevitably from its predecessor (he thinks not) and how and why the Entente handled their victory badly.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
As befits a huge conflict narrowed down to a medium sized book this concentrates on the macro level. The politics, strategy and economic elements that shaped the war are studied in some depth. Consequently there is less detail on the tanks, plans and ships, which is to be expected.
The book is enjoyable because it offers many insights and conjures up what could have been a different outcome for the belligerents in the war, had the actions of a few individuals been varied. It it particularly clear that whist conflict was inevitable, the constituents on each side could have been very different had various diplomatic moves taken a different turn or happened either earlier or later. The conditions for an industrial scale total war were however inevitable.
The book is enjoyable because it offers many insights and conjures up what could have been a different outcome for the belligerents in the war, had the actions of a few individuals been varied. It it particularly clear that whist conflict was inevitable, the constituents on each side could have been very different had various diplomatic moves taken a different turn or happened either earlier or later. The conditions for an industrial scale total war were however inevitable.
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