Product Description

A significant addition to the literature on World War I, which takes a global view of what has frequently been misperceived as a prolonged skirmish on the Western Front. Exploring such theatres as the Balkans, Africa and the Ottoman Empire, this single-volume work assesses Britain's participation in the light of what became a struggle for the defence of liberalism, and shows how the war shaped the "short" 20th century that followed it. Published to tie in with a television series, "The First World War" accompanies 10 one-hour episodes to be shown on Channel 4 during the autumn of 2003.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #251631 in Books
• Published on: 2003-09-11
• Format: Illustrated
• Original language: English
• Binding: Hardcover
• 350 pages

From the Inside Flap
The popular view of the First World War is dominated by cliché. Young British soldiers, many of them budding poets, were led to early and ghastly deaths in muddy wastes by incompetent generals for reasons that were seemingly futile. And although clichés are not necessarily lies, they are at best a selective view of the truth.

Building on his ongoing research for his mammoth three-volume history of the war, Hew Strachan now presents a stunning new account of the hostilities which offers many new interpretations of and insights into one of the defining events of the twentieth century. This one-volume history is not just a riveting digest for the general reader of his other writing, it also provides the narrative structure and direction of the accompanying ten-part Channel 4 series. And, for the first time, it offers a truly global vision of a conflict which is often misconceived as a prolonged skirmish on the Western Front.

Strachan argues convincingly that the war had become a 'world war' long before the involvement of the United States and the Russian Revolution of 1917. Far from being a 'European civil war', the conflict involved the colonial territories of European powers, and touched areas as far-flung as the Balkans, Africa and the Ottoman Empire. And it was the existence of these territories that helped explain why the war did not seem futile at the time: for Britain and France, it quickly became a struggle for the defence of liberalism.

Accessible, compelling and utterly convincing, and featuring a wealth of photographs many of which have never previously been published, 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.

Customer Reviews

A Landmark
The literature on the First World War is vast. A lot of books continue to be published every year. Some are potboilers, most are OK, a few are very good. Occasionally, one appears which is special. This is one of those rarities.

Hew Strachan is engaged on a full-scale three volume history of the conflict, the first of which has recently appeared. This companion to a magnificent TV series provides an overview of all three. I would hazard to say that in time the historiography of the First World War will come to be divided into pre- and post-Strachan eras. He has changed everything.

As a writer myself, his achievement fills me with awe. This book distills twenty years of research. Working painstakingly from the ground up, through pulling together neglected or unknown sources, changing emphasis and correcting old assumptions, Strachan has built up a radically new picture. The weaving together of detail and the big picture is masterly. We begin to understand that this was a global conflict, fought over big issues, which had a huge impact on the world we know today.

It is futile to try to summarise it. Revelations come too thick and fast. It will change your view not just of the First World War, but of the history of the C20th. In writing it, Strachan has not just done great honour to his profession, but great service to the general public. It is a massive achievement. Just buy it and read it.

Fabulous
The best book on the First World War I've ever read. It shatters countless cliches and illusions that have become standard views of the War. Strachan is very convincing in telling us that the War was indeed a 'World' war, not just a european one eg. 2 million Africans fought on the Allied side alone in some shape or form. Simply put, this is essential reading for anyone remotely interested in the topic. In fact, for anyone interested in history at all.

Brilliant new writing on the Great War
So much more than just a 'companion' book to the excellent television series, this is actually a formidable new history of the First World War by one of the world's leading historians on the subject. Hew Strachan shows how the war touched other countries and people while challenging the notion that the loss of life was futile. A constantly stimulating and gripping book, this is a brilliant addition to the many books on the war - as is the other companion title, A War in Words, which brings together some amazing personal stories of the war. Highly recommended!