Product Description

The First World War is arguably the most misunderstood event in twentieth-century history. In a radical new interpretation, leading military historian Gary Sheffield argues that while the war was tragic, it was not futile; and, although condemned as ‘lions led by donkeys’, in reality the British citizen army became the most effective fighting force in the world, which in 1918 won the greatest series of battles in British history.

A challenging and controversial book, FORGOTTEN VICTORY is based on twenty years of research and draws on the work of major scholars. Without underestimating the scale of the human tragedy or playing down the disasters, it explodes many myths about the First World War, placing it in its true historical context.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #17870 in Books
• Published on: 2002-06-05
• Binding: Paperback
• 384 pages

Trevor Royle, Sunday Herald
'This is revisionist history at its best - thought provoking and original'

Review
'Sheffield...sets out the arguments for an interpretation not based exclusively on the war poets, Alan Clark and Blackadder...One can only hope that his compassionate, clearly argued book will displace the [mythical] version' (David Horspool, Guardian )

'This is revisionist history at its best - thought provoking and original' (Trevor Royle, Sunday Herald )

'An important book that shatters many myths about the First World War' (Richard Holmes )

'Amongst the most important books to have been published on the Great War for some years. Very strongly recommended' (Stand To! )

Stand To!
'Amongst the most important books to have been published on the Great War for some years. Very strongly recommended'

Customer Reviews

World War 1 explained
After reading this I feel that the most misunderstood moment in history has to be World War 1. There are many more forgotten moments but the thing about WW1 is most people think they know about it.

It's interesting that people think "Oh what a lovely war"- a musical for heavens sake! Poetry and even Black Adder are some how important historical references. They all have to be by their very nature distortions of what really happened. Prussian aristocrats turned it into a stalemate in memory to eradicate their own failings and the peace movement hailed it as a catastrophe even though far fewer died in this war compared to the "successful" WW2. So Gary Sheffield carries out a Herculean task of taking out the misunderstandings and the deliberate confusions to come up with some very serious new conclusions about the war.

The information is clearly laid out in a very easy to read manner making this a favourite book of mine. Gary Sheffield acts as a guide leading you through this huge event with great skill and passion.

This book is vital to anyone who wants to learn the realities of the war from the people living through it. It strips away the suppositions and talks about what really happened.

A true WW1 classic (already)
Firstly, a word about what this book isn't - it is not intended to be narrative, year by year account of WW1. Many such books already exist, I found Huw Strachan's very good.

What this book does offer is a reappraisal of WW1, comparing the realities of the Great War with the tired stereotypes and myths that are served up regularly (and unquestioningly) in WW1 films, books and documentaries. Dr Sheffied does not flinch from asking the hard questions, and some readers will be shocked, or possibly angered, by some of his findings. But you don't have to agree with every word of it to find this an outstanding contribution to war history.

Apart from being an outstanding historian, the author is also an excellent writer who retains the reader's attention with stylist prose and wit. Unlike some other "revisionist" authors, he also writes with great compassion for those caught up in the war and resists the trap of rubbishing anyone who has written anything contrary to his thesis, except in cases where it is truly deserved (Alan Clark's dreadful "The Donkeys" being a case in point.)

In short, I wholly recommend this book to anyone with even a passing interest in the Great War.

A challenge to the myths
This is not an easy book to read but it is one that needs to be since it challenges our perceptions of The First World War.

The author argues that it was a necessary, not futile war, which had to be fought to curb German Militarism. It asks what would have happened to places that the Germans had overrun – such as most of Belgium – had there been an early compromise peace.

He argues that the Generals made mistakes but were not the crass, blundering butchers of popular belief – and specifically addresses such things as Blackadder goes Forth and expressions which have come into our language – such as a good man to have next to you in the trenches.

He argues that many of our perceptions of the war are based on war poets and English teachers – rather than the man in the trench doing his duty or historical facts.

He also explodes the widely believed – even today – Nazi myth that the German Army was not defeated but was betrayed by the politicians.

The arguments are well put, logical and easy to follow. I say it is hard to read however in that a statement on one page that the Grimsby Chums had light casualties of 110 men is not just 110 men who may not be coming back – it’s 110 families, parents, siblings, wives, lovers, children also affected. How much leeway can we allow for the “learning curve” which the BEF and its commanders had to undergo when men’s lives are being ruined or ended?

I came away with the impression that they did enough to win - but win well, or with ease, they did not. Therefore by the standards of Sun Tzu, they were failures. But looked at over four years, by the end they were running an efficient military machine, which with increasing numbers of American troops coming into the fray would have driven onto Berlin – had Germany not capitulated.

Ninety years after it started our views on The Great War are still coloured by our emotions and horror at the mud, the blood, the gas, the graveyards, the death of innocence and the “squander” of a nation’s youth. The author deserves credit for attempting to take this emotional baggage out of the equation. Perhaps in another ninety years time our successors will be able to do so.