Product Description

From freezing infantrymen huddled in bloodied trenches on the frontlines to intricate political maneuvering and tense strategy sessions in European capitals, noted historian John Toland tells of the unforgettable final year of the First World War. As 1918 opened, the Allies and Central Powers remained locked in a desperate, bloody stalemate, despite the deaths of millions of soldiers over the previous three and a half years. The arrival of the Americans 'over there' by the middle of the year turned the tide of war, resulting in an Allied victory in November. In these pages, participants on both sides, from enlisted men to generals and prime ministers to monarchs, vividly recount the battles, sensational events, and behind-the-scenes strategies that shaped that climatic, terrifying year.It's all here - the horrific futility of going over the top into a hail of bullets in "No Man's Land"; the enigmatic death of the legendary German ace the Red Baron; Operation Michael, a punishing German attack in the spring; the Americans long-awaited arrival in June; the murder of Russian Czar Nicholas and his family, and the growing fear of a communist menace in the east; and, the armistice on November 11. The different points of view of Germans, Americans, British, French, and Russians add depth, complexity, and understanding to the tragedies and triumphs of the War to End All Wars. John Toland is a Pultizer Prize-winning author. His works include "Adolf Hitler", "The Rising Sun", and "Battle: The Story of the Bulge", available in a Bison Books edition. Also available by John Toland "Battle: The Story of the Bulge" 0-8032-9437-9 PB GBP15.50.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #967021 in Books
• Published on: 2002-10-30
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 727 pages

About the Author
John Toland is a Pultizer Prize-winning author. His works include Adolf Hitler, The Rising Sun, and Battle: The Story of the Bulge, available in a Bison Books edition.

Customer Reviews

The last year of the Great War
This is by no means a bad book, and it's certainly not badly written, and yet I have several quibbles with it, starting with the title. The image of the Great War with its seeming endless trench warfare - giving rise to the term no-man's-land - stems largely from the years 1915-17, when the war was largely static. In 1918 it became much more fluid.
Toland writes in a vivid style, transporting the reader to the various battlefields, and generally tries to see the war through the eyes of both privates and field-marshals. He also includes several colourful anecdotes and vivid descriptions of battles. There are even some spies' tales. This style may work well for some, but I would have preferred a more stringent format. As an avid reader of literature on the First World War, I prefer to keep strategy and tactics separate. I would recommend John Terraine for the bird's-eye view and Lyn MacDonald for readers who like soldiers' anecdotes.
However, if you want an entertaining read about 1918, this is not a bad buy.