First World War Books

Book SynopsisAt the end of 1918 one prescient American historian began to write a history of the Great War. What will you call it? he was asked. The First World War, was his bleak response.In Between the Wars Philip Ziegler examines the major international turning points - cultural and social as well as political and military - that led the world from one war to another. His approach is panoramic, touching on all parts of the world where history was being made, examining Gandhi''s March to the Sea and the Chaco War in South America alongside Hitler''s rise to power.It is the tragic story of a world determined that the horrors of the First World War would never be repeated, yet committed to a path which in hindsight was inevitably destined to end in a second, even more devastating conflict.Each chapter bears the unmistakable stamp of Ziegler''s scholarship: a keen eye for the telling anecdote, elegant and fluid prose, and calm and fair judgments. In a world tTrade ReviewA fascinating, panoramic overview . . . In prose of crystalline elegance, Ziegler travels chronologically across countries and continents, discussing global events that range from the complex arguments for Home Rule in Ireland in 1921 to the fascist takeover of Madrid in 1939. -- Juliet Nicolson * Spectator. *Very rewarding, well-written, succinct and full of intelligent judgements. -- Hugh ThomasZiegler is an elegant, unfailingly lucid writer -- Simon Callow.One of the most experienced and versatile biographers of his generation. * Observer. *Ziegler writes with urbanity and wit but is unflinching in his judgments. * Times Literary Supplement. *Fascinating. -- Bill Bryson * on The Black Death. *A skillful historian. * Kirkus Reviews. *

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Book SynopsisMallinson . . . combines the authority of a soldier-turned-military historian with the imaginative touch of the historical novelist.' Lawrence James, THE TIMESWe remember months, because months have names, because they are linked to the seasons, and because they have their own character. Looking at the First World War month by month reveals its complexity while preserving a sense of time. From the opening shots to the signing of the armistice, the First World War lasted almost 52 months. It was fought on land, sea and in the air. It became industrial, and unrestricted: poison gas, aerial bombing of cities, and the sinking without warning of merchantmen and passenger ships by submarines. Casualties, military and civilian, probably exceeded 40 million. Four empires collapsed during the course of the war the German, Austro-Hungarian, Russian and Ottoman. The First World War is almost impossible to comprehend. Day-by-day narrTrade ReviewExcellent . . . [Mallinson] has carried off a seemingly impossible task and rather than dismissing this as yet another title on the conflict it should be considered the primer for anyone new to the era. Thoroughly enjoyable, hugely informative and very easy to read, this comes highly recommended. * SOLDIER magazine 'Best of 2018' *Notable for its clarity, and anyone requiring a digestible narrative summary of the fighting . . . would be advised to start here. * SPECTATOR *A wonderful seriesThere is no finer military historianI could not believe that [there was] anything new to say . . . but how wrong I was!

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Book SynopsisLloyd Clark is founder and Director of Research of the Centre for Army Leadership based at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, and Professorial Research Fellow in War Studies, Humanities Research Institute, University of Buckingham. He is the author of: Anzio: The Friction of War (2006), Arnhem: Jumping the Rhine1944 and 1945 (2008); Kursk: The Greatest Battle - The Eastern Front 1943 (2011); and Blitzkrieg: Myth, Reality, and Hitler's Lightning War: France 1940 (2015). He is a frequent contributor to the broadcast media and is in demand as a lecturer on leadership and military history around the world. He lives in Hertfordshire with his wife and has three grown up children and four working dogs.Trade ReviewLloyd Clark continues his run of first-class military history with this insightful investigation of the best three generals from each of the major armies on the Western Front in the Second World War. This treble-biography highlights both the interaction of these commanders with each other, and where they stood in the constantly shifting command structure of their own sides. It's intensely readable, well-researched and stuffed full of leadership lessons for the modern day, plus the intense rivalry of Monty and Patton is one of the great stories of the war, and has never been told better. -- Andrew Roberts, author of Churchill: Walking with DestinyUtterly fascinating. Lloyd Clark demonstrates his deep and wide-ranging knowledge in this compelling new look at three of the most iconic commanders of World War II. With genuinely fresh insights, immense wisdom and thought-provoking analysis, this is a superb account of these three men, divided by different nationalities but with uncanny similarities in ambition, character and motivation. -- James Holland, author of Brothers in ArmsClark fixes his focus on the intersection of personality and military leadership through the prism of three individualists. Details such as teaching styles, sense of theater and interactions with soldiers create wonderful three-dimensional models of the war's iconic leaders. * Wall Street Journal *A fascinating group portrait of three of WWII's most innovative and illustrious generals. . . Brimming with incisive character sketches and strategic analysis, this is a captivating study of leadership in action.' * Publishers Weekly (starred review) *Engaging... Military history buffs and those wanting to learn about leadership and management styles from three important men of the 20th century will likely eagerly consume this tremendous work. * Library Journal (starred review) *A veteran military historian delves into the leadership qualities of three iconic World War II commanders... Astute and entertaining. * Kirkus Reviews *The Commanders effectively bridges the gap between academic and popular history and will be read with enjoyment. Well-written and solidly researched, it is recommended. -- Graham Goodlad * Military History Matters *Table of Contents1: Early Years and Junior Leaders, 1880s-1914 2: First Combat, 1914-16 3: Hard-Won Experience, 1917-18 4: New Challenges - Leading in Peace, 1919-31 5: Taking Command, 1932-39 6: A New War, 1940-41 7: Three in North Africa, 1942-43 8: Three in North-West Europe, 1944-45 9: George S. Patton, Bernard Montgomery and the Post-War World

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Book SynopsisThe author recreates, with contemporary photographs alongside others taken by him plus eyewitness accounts and narrative, the atmosphere, past and present, of that once famous salient. He aims to present a tribute to the men who fought with such courage and tenacity in the horrendous conditions.

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Book SynopsisThis work covers the main British battle areas of the Western Front between 1914 and 1918. Starting with the spark that ignited the war, the outline of events brings the operations of the British Army in France and Flanders full circle.

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Book SynopsisWith Britain by late 1916 facing the prospect of an economic crisis and increasingly dependent on the US, rival factions in Asquith''s government battled over whether or not to seek a negotiated end to the First World War. In this riveting new account, Daniel Larsen tells the full story for the first time of how Asquith and his supporters secretly sought to end the war. He shows how they supported President Woodrow Wilson''s efforts to convene a peace conference and how British intelligence, clandestinely breaking American codes, aimed to sabotage these peace efforts and aided Asquith''s rivals. With Britain reading and decrypting all US diplomatic telegrams between Europe and Washington, these decrypts were used in a battle between the Treasury, which was terrified of looming financial catastrophe, and Lloyd George and the generals. This book''s findings transform our understanding of British strategy and international diplomacy during the war.Trade Review'This ground-breaking book transforms our understanding of British policy and American mediation during the First World War, incorporating the missing dimension of spies, codes and intelligence, together with new insights from economic history. It corrects many of the distortions in our current understanding of this crucial conflict.' Richard J. Aldrich, author of GCHQ: The Uncensored Story of Britain's Most Secret Intelligence Agency'Dr Larsen challenges assumptions both about how to write international history and about the events of 1914-1917. Using the tools of political, diplomatic, economic and intelligence history, he analyses the failed American mediation attempts, and argues that long-held historical beliefs are entirely wrong. It is a very stimulating book.' Kathleen Burk, author of The Lion and the Eagle: The Interaction of the British and American Empires 1783-1972'A bold reinterpretation of Britain and America in the Great War, probing anew whether the struggle had to be fought to a finish. It reconsiders Woodrow Wilson's mediation efforts in 1914-17 and offers revisionist portraits of Asquith and Lloyd George.' David Reynolds, author of Island Stories: Britain and its History in the Age of Brexit'Daniel Larsen provides us with by far the best account of Anglo-American relations in the crucial months preceding America's entry into the First World War. Challenging received interpretations, compellingly argued, and eloquently written, it blends finance and secret intelligence with diplomacy and high politics.' David Stevenson, author of 1917: War, Peace, and Revolution'Fascinating … helps to redress the balance, away from howitzers and trenches, and towards understanding.' Peter Hitchens, The Mail on Sunday'A memorable lesson in the sheer contingency of history and how the lives and deaths of millions can depend on the decisions of a few men.' Oliver Moody, The Times'… invaluable, gripping and entertaining …' Simon Heffer, Daily TelegraphTable of ContentsPreface; Acknowledgements; Introduction; 1. The First Year of War (August 1914–August 1915); 2. Strategy (August–December 1915); 3. Negotiations (January–March 1916); 4. Deliberations (March–May 1916); 5. The Gamble (June–August 1916); 6. The Knock-out Blow (September–October 1916); 7. The Fall of Asquith (October–December 1916); 8. Peace Moves (December 1916–January 1917); 9. The Zimmermann Telegram and Wilson's Move to War (February–April 1917); Conclusion.

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Book SynopsisThis thoroughly revised edition has been updated to incorporate recent case studies, biographies, syntheses, journal articles and scholarly conferences that appeared in conjunction with the centenary of the outbreak of the First World War in 2014.The original version of this work, published by James Joll in 1984, quickly became established as the authoritative introduction to the subject of the war's origins. Significantly expanded by Gordon Martel in 2007, this volume continues to offer a careful, clear, and comprehensive evaluation of the multitude of explanations advanced to explain the causes of the cataclysm of 1914, addressing each of the major interpretive approaches to the subject, with essay-like chapters addressing the alliance system, militarism and strategy, the international economy, imperial rivalries, the role of domestic politics and the mood' of 1914. This edition offers an extensive new introduction, a new conclusion (including ten fateful choices' that led Trade ReviewPraise for this edition:‘Martel’s mastery of a seemingly insurmountable volume of scholarship is impressive and remarkable. His expertly updated classic account makes sense of a century of explanations. If you read only one book on the origins of the First World War, it should be this one.’Annika Mombauer, The Open University, UK‘It is a great pleasure to see a fourth edition of this classic introduction to the origins of the First World War. The new edition maintains the valuable thematic structure of the original, but supplements it with a new chapter on the July Crisis and an expanded bibliographical introduction and guide to further reading that incorporate the remarkable additions to the literature which accompanied the centenary in 2014.’David Stevenson, London School of Economics & Political Science, UKPraise for previous editions:‘Gordon Martel has done the impossible: he has made James Joll’s The Origins of the First World War once more the premium study on why war came in 1914. Martel has not simply updated Joll’s contribution but enhanced and improved it. A triumph of both scholarship and editorial talent; James Joll would have been pleased.’ Samuel R. Williamson Jr., University of the South, USA‘Probably the best comprehensive history of the origins of World War I available in the English language. Gordon Martel’s [revision] will make certain that the book’s deep insights will continue to captivate and inspire future generations of students and others interested in the Great War.’Volker Berghahn, Columbia University, USA‘…this scholarly, comprehensive and subtle analysis should be made compulsory reading for all students of the period and, most of all, for the decision makers of today.’ John F.V. Keiger, HistoryTable of Contents1. Introduction: A Century of Explanations, 2. The July crisis, 1914, 3.The alliance system and the old diplomacy, 4. Militarism, armaments and strategy, 5. The primacy of domestic politics, 6. The international economy, 7. Imperial rivalries, 8. The mood of 1914, 9. Conclusion

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Book SynopsisOrigins of the First World War summarizes the policies, issues and crises that brought Europe to war in 1914. Examining the strategic and political problems that confronted each of the great powers and the way in which social and economic factors influenced the decision-making process, Martel discusses the position of each power and their place in the system of alliances which dominated international politics. The fourth edition has been revised and updated throughout to incorporate the body of new scholarship that has appeared since the hundredth anniversary of the outbreak of war. In a clear and accessible manner, it explains: how and why the alliance system was created how alliances led to a network of complicated strategic commitments how an escalating series of international crises from the turn of the century fuelled preparations for war why the peculiarities of the Balkan situation are essentiTrade Review"Martel has produced an excellent book; it is well-written, concise and balanced. His clear prose as well as the useful selection documents make difficult and still controversial historical events comprehensible to students and general readers alike. This is probably still the best introduction to the question of why peace failed in 1914." David Kaufman, University of Edinburgh, UK "Martel’s book, now in its fourth edition, was written with undergraduate readers in mind. Brief, eminently readable, well-researched, and laced with primary source documents, it serves as the perfect springboard for enhanced classroom discussions and student papers." Stewart Anderson, Brigham Young University, USA Table of ContentsList of figures Maps Chronology Who’s Who PART ONE ANALYSIS AND ASSESSMENT 1 THE PROBLEM The Outbreak of War Explaining Causes 2 THE GREAT POWERS TO 1900 The Triple Alliance The Dual Alliance Great Britain 3 THE EUROPEAN CRISIS The Diplomatic Revolution The Vortex of South-eastern Europe The July Crisis 4 ASSESSMENT PART TWO DOCUMENTS GLOSSARY FURTHER READING REFERENCES INDEX

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Book SynopsisThis volume, originally published in 1987, fills a gap in a neglected area. Looking at the entire war in the Mediterrean, the volume examines the war from the viewpoint of all the important participants, making full use of archives and manuscript collections in Britain, France, Italy, Germany, Austria and the United States. A fascinating mosaic of campaigns emerges in the Adriatic, Straits of Otranto and the Eastern Aegean. The German assistance to the tribes of Libya, the threat that Germany would get her hands on the Russian Black Sea Fleet and use it in the Mediterreanean, and the appearance and influence of the Americans in 1918 all took place against a background of rivalry between the Allies which frustrated the appointment of Jellicoe in 1918 as supreme command at sea in a role similar to that of Foch on land. Table of Contents1. The Mediterranean Naval Balance 2. The Beginning of the War in the Mediterranean and Adriatic 3. The Dardanelles Campaign 4. German Submarines Arrive and Italy Enters the War 5. Stalemate in the Adriatic and the Germans Build Up Their Submarine Strength 6. Macedonia, the End of the Dardanelles Campaign and the Submarine War Intensifies 7. The Allied Failure to Meet the Submarine Challenge in 1916 8. The Adriatic, the Aegean and the Eastern Mediterranean in 1916 9. The Submarine Crisis – 1917 10. The Otranto Action and the Introduction of Convoys 11. The Final Year of the War: Part One 12. The Climax of the War

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Book SynopsisIn this revised version of a ground-breaking global history of women and the First World War, Susan Grayzel shows the multiple ways in which women faced the enormous challenges the war presented, both the losses as well as the opportunities that the war provided.The First World War was a total war requiring the mobilisation of millions of both civilians and combatants. It decisively shaped the modern world. A century after the signing of the last peace treaty to end this conflict, its experiences and legacies for women continue to inspire debate and interest. With new evidence from the tremendous outpouring of scholarship on women in all participant states, including those in occupied territories, Europe and its overseas empires, Asia, the Middle East, Africa and the United States over the last twenty years, this edition greatly expands the coverage of the war geographically while continuing to showcase diverse women's voices. Topical in its approach, it allows for a thoroughTrade Review'an innovative addition to the series...This book will prove invaluable for those seeking a comparitative analysis of the women's question in the early twentieth century.'Richard Brown, The Historical Association website'the broad range of topics, collection of documents, and bibliography make this a very useful starting point for undergraduate students.'Deborah D. Buffton, University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, H-Women, H-Net ReviewsTable of ContentsPart 1: FRAMEWORKS 1. INTRODUCTION Part 2: EXPERIENCES OF WAR 2. THE WAR BEGINS: PROPAGANDA, RECRUITMENT AND STATE SUPPORT OF FAMILIES 3. WOMEN’S WAR WORK: REMUNERATIVE, VOLUNTARY AND FAMILIAL 4. WOMEN IN THE LINE OF FIRE 5. MORALE, MORALITY AND SEXUALITY 6. ANTI-WAR PROTEST, DISSENT AND REVOLUTION Part 3: LEGACIES OF WAR 7. ASSESSING SOME OF THE CONSEQUENCES OF THE WAR FOR WOMEN 8. CONCLUSION Part 4: DOCUMENTS

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Book SynopsisThis book explores the little-known legacy left behind by soldiers on the Western Front of the First World War - wall markings that offer a revealing insight into the thoughts and feelings of young men far from home.Trade Review'A fascinating and moving introduction to a subject that offers a new lens through which to examine the First World War; it is one that is very much worth exploring.' -- Current Archaeology Magazine, June 2023'The book tells the stories of men behind the graffiti and presents some of the most striking works in more than 100 photographs.' -- Bradford Telegraph & Argus'David Crossland's fascination with this fragile legacy of a bitter conflict shines through in this intriguing book which I recommend to anyone with an interest in the stories of the men who fought in the First World War.' -- The Writing Desk'This is a deeply fascinating and surprisingly personal book.' -- Britain at War Magazine, August 2023'This fascinating, if brief, study takes us into a hidden world most battlefield visitors will be totally unaware of.' -- World War One Group, November 2023

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Book SynopsisA full and detailed biography of Roger Keyes, Admiral of the Fleet and Lord of Zeebrugge and Dover.

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Book SynopsisHitherto overlooked aspect of both world wars. Spectacular collection of rare photos. Strong aviation interest.

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Book SynopsisCovers the bitter fighting around Ypres as the two opposing sides attempted to bring the War to an early conclusion.

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Book SynopsisThis new edition of a classic wartime pilot's memoir is introduced by the renowned aviation historian Dilip Sarkar MBE, FRHistS.

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Book SynopsisWalking, cycling and driving guide to the First World War battlefield of Cambrai in northern France.

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Book SynopsisHighly recommended... This highly illustrated book provides a vivid picture of war at the tactical level Jack Sheldon

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Book SynopsisWritten by celebrated author and script writer (Silent Witness/All the Kings Men, Under the Guns of the Red Baron).

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Book SynopsisA rip-roaring gallop through the lives of the Royal Flying Corps air crew in the Great War. They lived their lives amidst a strange dichotomy as they moved from safety to dire danger, and back again in a matter of hours. This created a dreadful strain that could soon shred anyone's mental health. On the ground they were cloistered in simple but adequate accommodation several miles behind the lines. Farmhouses, barns and huts were used, but they were all far better than the squalor faced by the infantry scurrying in their muddy trenches. Flying personnel were blessed with beds and blankets. They could set up a decent mess and socialise to their heart's content. A smorgasbord of entertainments, with perhaps an old out of tune piano, access to drink and occasional vigorous games of mess rugby. There were visits to local towns which offered tantalizing glimpses and sometimes more - of the female of the species. A glimpse was probably never enough for most of these very young men. What mor

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Book SynopsisLittle-known aspect of Churchills life revealed by a fellow officer.

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Book SynopsisExplores ten alternate outcomes of the First World War.

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Book SynopsisA doctor's diary recording his experience on the Italian front during the First World War.

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Book SynopsisThe gripping story of the conflict in the air during the Great War

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Book SynopsisThis book tells the story of the Jewish community, of its individuals and its groups, who contributed to the First World War.

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Book SynopsisWirral at War is a tribute to the wartime record of the people of the Wirral in the two World Wars.

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Book SynopsisFully illustrated, this book casts light on the utility and role of the German and British cavalry in the early stages of World War I on the Western Front.In the early months of World War I, before the fighting degenerated into static trench warfare, there was a brief period of mobile combat as the German Army advanced through Belgium and northern France, forcing the French and British forces facing them to retreat. Both sides in the escalating conflict deployed substantial numbers of cavalry units to screen their infantry forces, conduct reconnaissance and harness their superior mobility to undertake aggressive combat operations. In the summer of 1914, the British cavalry had the difficult task of covering the withdrawal of the British Expeditionary Force and the German cavalry, the equally demanding task, after weeks of combat and forced marches, of maintaining contact with a rapidly retiring enemy.In this book a comparative assessment is made of each side's doctrine, organizaTable of ContentsIntroduction The Opposing Sides Casteau, 22 August 1914 Cérizy-Moÿ, 28 August 1914 Le Montcel, 7 September 1914 Analysis Aftermath Unit Organizations Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisIn 191518, ANZAC and Ottoman soldiers clashed on numerous battlefields, from Gallipoli to Jerusalem. This illustrated study investigates the two sides' fighting men.The Gallipoli campaign of 191516 pitched the Australian and New Zealand volunteers known as the ANZACs into a series of desperate battles with the Ottoman soldiers defending their homeland. In August 1915, the bitter struggle for the high ground known as Chunuk Bair saw the peak change hands as the Allies sought to overcome the stalemate that set in following the landings in April. The ANZACs also played a key part in the battle of Lone Pine, intended to divert Ottoman attention away from the bid to seize Chunuk Bair. The Gallipoli campaign ended in Allied evacuation in the opening days of 1916. Thereafter, many ANZAC units remained in the Middle East and played a decisive role in the Allies' hard-fought advance through Palestine that finally forced the Turks to the peace table. The fateful battle of Beersheba in OctTrade ReviewIf you haven't read much about the Ottomans and ANZACs in WW1, this is a good introduction. * The Balkan Wargamer *Table of Contents(Subject to confirmation) Introduction The Opposing Sides Lone Pine, 6–10 August 1915 Chunuk Bair, 7–19 August 1915 Beersheba, 31 October 1917 Analysis Aftermath Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisOffers a full explanation of the wider situation to set each VC action within the bigger picture.

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Book SynopsisHighly interesting to anyone with a passing interest in military badges, this book is invaluable for military collectors.

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Book SynopsisReveals the war effort of this pioneering island on the home front, alongside its remarkable defences and aviation sites.

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Book SynopsisSarajevo, 28 June 1914: The story of the assassination that changed the world.''Outstanding'' SPECTATOR''A fine piece of political and literary detective work, which held this reader enthralled'' TRIBUNEYoung Gavrilo Princip arrived at the Vlajnic pastry shop in Sarajevo in Bosnia-Herzegovina on the morning of 28 June 1914. He was greeted by his fellow conspirators in the plot to kill Archduke Franz Ferdinand. The Archduke, next in line to succeed as Emperor of Austria, was beginning a state visit to Sarajevo later that morning. Ferdinand was not a very popular character - widely thought of as bad-tempered and arrogant and perhaps even deranged. To the young students he embodied everything they loathed about imperial oppression. They planned to kill him at about 11 o''clock as he paraded down Appel Quay to the town hall in his open top car.What happened in those few hours - leading as it did to the First and Second World Wars - iTrade ReviewDavid James Smith's achievement is to contextualise the conspiracy ... an informed and nuanced account * SUNDAY TIMES *This outstanding new account of events and characters ... is the most comprehensive study of the assassination yet published in English * SPECTATOR *He is to be congratulated on a fine piece of political and literary detective work, which held this reader enthralled * TRIBUNE *

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Book SynopsisWith expert scholars and great sensitivity, Out of Line, Out of Place illuminates and analyzes how the proliferation of internment camps emerged as a biopolitical tool of governance. Although the internment camp developed as a technology of containment, control, and punishment in the latter part of the nineteenth century mainly in colonial settings, it became universal and global during the Great War.Mass internment has long been recognized as a defining experience of World War II, but it was a fundamental experience of World War I as well. More than eight million soldiers became prisoners of war, more than a million civilians became internees, and several millions more were displaced from their homes, with many placed in securitized refugee camps. For the first time, Out of Line, Out of Place brings these different camps together in conversation. Rotem Kowner and Iris Rachamimov emphasize that although there were differences among camps andTrade ReviewThis book has great merit. It compares various case studies in Europe and beyond and, thus, offers a broad picture of internment operations. Such a wide-ranging approach presents the multiple categories of individuals interned, including combatants, enemy aliens, and political prisoners; widespread camp locations; and connections among state practices. The reflections that chapters propose on the global character of this wartime phenomena also helps foster an understanding of the First World War beyond the battlefield and beyond the period of 1914–18. * H-Net *For all these reasons, this book is necessary reading for anyone interested in the history of internment and war captivity. * H-net *Table of ContentsIntroduction: Military, Civilian, and Political Internments: Examining Great War Internments Together, by Iris Rachamimov and Rotem Kowner Part I: Internments in Europe 1. (Dis)entangling the Local, the National, and the International: Civilian Internment in Germany and in German-Occupied France and Belgium in Global Context, by Matthew Stibbe 2. The Captives of the Kaiser: Schutzhaft and Political Prisoners in Germany, by André Keil 3. Securitized Protection: Health Work in Wartime Austria-Hungary and the Making of Refugee Camps, by Doina Anca Cretu 4. Alexandra Palace: A Concentration Camp in the Heart of London, by Assaf Mond 5. Prisoner-of-War Civilian Experience: The Role of Profession among POWs, by Lena Radauer 6. The Face and Race of the Enemy: German POW Photographs as a Weapon of War, by Nancy Fitch Part II: Internments Beyond Europe 7. "Enemies of Our Country": Internment in Canada's Rocky Mountains National Park, 1915–1917, by Bohdan S. Kordan 8. Globalizing Captivity: "Little Germany in China", by Naoko Shimazu 9. German Propaganda and the African and Asian Theaters of the War, by Mahon Murphy Part III: Interwar Repurcussions and Beyond 10. Internment after the War's End: "Humanitarian Camps" in the POW Repatriation Process, 1918–1923, by Hazuki Tate 11. POWs, Civilians, and the Postwar Development of International Humanitarian Law, by Neville Wylie and Sarina Landefeld Conclusion: World War I and Its Internments: Final Remarks, by Iris Rachamimov and Rotem Kowner

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Book SynopsisThis book provides fresh perspectives on a key period in the history of humanitarianism. Drawing on economic, cultural, social and diplomatic perspectives, it explores the scale and meaning of humanitarianism in the era of the Great War. Foregrounding the local and global dimensions of the humanitarian responses, it interrogates the entanglement of humanitarian and political interests and uncovers the motivations and agency of aid donors, relief workers and recipients. The chapters probe the limits of humanitarian engagement in a period of unprecedented violence and suffering and evaluate its long-term impact on humanitarian action.Table of ContentsIntroduction: humanitarianism and the Greater War – Elisabeth Piller and Neville WyliePART I: GLOBAL WAR, GLOBAL AID 1 Humanitarian aid across the ocean: Argentine contributions to the relief of Europe during the Great War – María Inés Tato2 Sagas of swords, scrolls, and dolls: Japanese humanitarian aid to Belgium –Hanne Deleu3 Geographies of humanitarian mobilisation: Portuguese Africa and the Great War – Ana Paula Pires4 Philanthropy in time of war: Paul Nathan and the Hilfsverein der deutschen Juden –Christoph JahrPART II: THE POLITICS AND POWER OF AID 5 The neutrals at war: humanitarian competition in the Great War – Cédric Cotter6 Neutrality and the politics of protection: the United States as a protecting power, 1914–17 – Neville Wylie7 Blockaders as humanitarians? Connecting the Allied blockade of Germany and post-warHumanitarianism – Phillip Dehne8 Better fed than red: international famine relief, 1921–22 – Kimberly LowePART III: THE LEGACIES AND LIMITS OF GREAT WAR-ERA RELIEF9 Abandoning Poland: Great War humanitarianism as a history of failure – Elisabeth Piller10 Children and the ‘hunger politics’ of 1919-20: food aid to German children and thefounding of the international Save the Children Movement – Tatjana Eichert and Rebecca Gill11 ‘The most deplorable victims’? The language of humanitarianism and relief to intellectuals in the era of the Great War –Tomás Irish 12 The imperial ‘guardians’ of slavery: international humanitarianism, colonial labour policies, and the crisis of imperial governance under the League of Nations, 1919–26 – Christian Mueller Afterword – Branden LittleIndex

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Book SynopsisWalter Tull would have been a remarkable individual no matter when he had been born, but to achieve what he did, during the time that he did, makes him even more remarkable. He was an orphan at just six years of age, and despite not wanting to, his step mother, Clara, had no choice but to place him and his elder brother, Edward, in to a children's home in the East End of London. As neither Walter or Edward had ever travelled outside of Folkestone before, the upheaval must have come as quite a shock. Two years after entering the home, Walter and Edward were split up when Edward was adopted and went to live in Glasgow. Walter's sporting prowess saw him play for top local amateur side, Clapton Football club, signing for them in 1908, but it was to be a short lived affair, as by the following year he had signed as a professional for the prestigious Tottenham Hotspur Football Club, making his first team debut against Manchester United. In October 1911 Walter was transferred to Northampton Town Football Club, where he would go on to play over one hundred first team games, before the First World War brought a premature end to his career as a professional footballer. With the outbreak of war, Walter wasted no time enlisting in the British Army, initially as a Private in the newly formed 17th (Football) Battalion, Middlesex Regiment. Further promotions followed and in no time at all he had reached the rank of Sergeant. He was put forward for a commission and passed out as a 2nd Lieutenant on 29 May 1917\. He went on to become the first black officer in the British Army, to lead white troops in to battle, and was fondly regarded by the men who served under him. Walter was killed in action whilst leading his men in a counter attack against German defensive positions on Monday 25 March 1918\. He died a hero. He was well liked and respected by all who knew him. Like many men of his generation his life was cut short for the greater good whilst in the service of his country, so that others might prevail.

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Book SynopsisThe Boy Scouts Association was just seven years old when war broke out in 1914\. With its members brought up with a strong ethos of duty and loyalty, it was no surprise that many wanted to play the best role possible in the nation's war effort. Many members were amongst those who rallied to the colours and enlisted in the heady days of the first weeks and months of the war. Some already belonged to either the Reserves or the Territorials and so found themselves immediately thrust into the front lines and casualty rates were high. Several of those who fought were decorated for their service, with a number even wining the Victoria Cross. On the Home Front, Boy Scouts served as messengers, printers, dispatch riders etc. in the War Office and other government offices, both locally and nationally. Scouts helped gather in the harvest, hunted for spies, aided the civil and military authorities, maintained watch during air raids, helped various wartime charities and sold old bottles to raise funds for recreational huts and ambulances for the front. Others found themselves mounting guard on the coasts and on vulnerable points such as the railway network, or aiding recruitment efforts across the country. The Boy Scout became a trusted and common sight on the streets of the country and the contribution they made was great indeed.

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Book SynopsisThe St Mihiel Offensive, which took place between the 12th and 16th September 1918, was the first full scale attack that was under the direct command of the Americans, in the person of General J Pershing. He combined his command of the First (at the time the only) American Army with that of Commander in Chief of the AEF, a tremendous burden. The St Mihiel Salient had its origins in the early fighting of the war and had been stabilised by the end of 1914, although there was fierce fighting there in the first half of 1915 as both sides jostled for position; the high ground of Les Eparges became notorious for the intensity of the mine warfare that took place below it, extensive remains of which can be seen today. The American attack (with the assistance of a French Corps) was an outstanding success and the Germans were forced into a rapid withdrawal to the Michel Line, a strongly defended position that formed the Hindenburg Line in this area. On the other hand, the success was in part assisted by the fact that the Germans intended to withdraw from the exposed position of the Salient back to this line, the only question being the timing of such a move. Historians argue about whether the move had actually begun or not; but the reality is that senior German officers knew that it was imminent and certainly some heavier artillery had already been pulled back. Pershing's original hope had been to continue the offensive to seize Metz, crucial rail links and economically vital areas to the German war effort. In fact any such attempt would have taken weeks of preparation, as even a casual examination of the Michel Line defences still existing today would show. It is probable that relatively easy success here led to overconfidence amongst some that the next offensive, the Meuse-Argonne - to the north and scheduled to begin on the 26th, would have a similar outcome. If so they were in for a rude awakening. This book is profusely illustrated with contemporary photographs and numerous maps, the narrative supplemented by a number of first hand accounts; the whole is supported by several walking and car tours. This is the latest in a series of Battleground books by Maarten Otte on the American Expeditionary Forces, with several more in preparation.

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Book SynopsisFly, Zeppelin! Help us in the war. Fly to England, England shall be destroyed by fire. Zeppelin, fly!' Such was the hymn which the children sang; such the refrain which greeted the aged inventor, Count Ferdinand von Zeppelin, wherever he went. Why was there this reaction across Germany? How did a handful of aircraft giving pleasure cruises become a fearsome fleet of rapacious giants encouraged to punish Germany's enemies? What were the images that became part of the public's wartime consciousness? Books on the Zeppelin raids during the First World War have, traditionally, focused on the direct impact of Britain, from the devastating effects on undefended towns and cities, the psychological impact of this first weapon of total war to the technological and strategic advances that eventually defeated the Baby Killers'. Now, drawing on the largest postcard collection of its kind and other period memorabilia, David Marks tells the story of the Zeppelin during the First World War from a viewpoint that has rarely been considered: Germany itself. From its maiden flight in July 1900, the Zeppelin evolved into a symbol of technology and national pride that, once war was declared, was at the forefront of German's propaganda campaign. The Zeppelin links the rampant xenophobia at the outbreak of the conflict against England (it almost never called Britain), France, Russia and their allies to the political doctrines of the day. The postcards that profusely illustrate this book show the wide-ranging types of propaganda from strident Teutonic imagery, myths and legends, biting satire and a surprising amount of humour. This book is a unique contribution to our understanding of the place of the Zeppelin in Germany's culture and society during the First World War.

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Book SynopsisThe story of First World War deserters who were shot at dawn, then pardoned nearly a century later has often been told, but these 306 soldiers represent a tiny proportion of deserters. More than 80,000 cases of desertion and absence were tried at courts martial on the home front but these soldiers have been ignored. Andrea Hetherington, in this thought-provoking and meticulously researched account, sets the record straight by describing the deserters who disappeared from camps and barracks within Great Britain at an alarming rate. She reveals how they employed a range of survival strategies, some ridding themselves of all connection with the military while others hid in plain sight. Their reasons for desertion varied. Some were already living a life of crime whilst others were conscientious objectors who refused to respond to their call-up papers. Boredom, protest, troubles at home or physical and mental disabilities all played their part in men deciding to go on the run. Andrea Hetherington's timely book gives us a vivid insight into a hitherto overlooked aspect of the First World War.

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Book SynopsisWhen A Passionate Prodigality was first published in 1933 it was hailed as one of the finest English works to have come out of the First World War. Today this memoir reads with a graphic immediacy, not merely in the descriptions of the filth and shock and carnage that characterized the struggle, but in its evocation of men at war, certain soldiers who have now become a small quantity of Christian dust'. Stylish, honest and eloquent, A Passionate Prodigality is less a book than a living voice, demonstrating an important if little remembered truth: The poetry is not in the pity. To hell with your generalized pity. What the survivor remembers is not the fears he knew, the pains, but the faces and a few words of the men who were with him at the front '

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Book SynopsisGeneral Hans von Seekt (1866-1936) was the military counterpart of the Weimar Republic, both attempted to restore Germany's international acceptance and security following defeat in World War I and the Treaty of Versailles of 1919. And the failure of both led eventually to the rise of Hitler and Nazi Germany. Hans von Seekt was from the traditional German officer caste, served with distinction on the war and became Chief of the Army Command at the Reichewehr Ministry of the Weimar Republic and Germany's 'supreme soldier'and major military strategist. His role was to re-build the shattered German army in face of the punitive terms of post-war settlement imposed by the victorious Entente Powers which drastically reduced its strength and imposed crippling financial conditions. He aimed to build a modern and efficient military - a new German army - with a main strategy of peaceful defence purposes, and to re-introduce Germany into the community of nations. This original and far-sighted policy was opposed by the movement seeking revenge for defeat - a 'stab in the back' - led principally by his rival, General Erich Ludendorff, whose aim was re-build the once-mighty German imperial army as a major international force. The failure of von Seekt's experiment was mirrored by the fall of the Weimar Republic, and the rise of rise of Hitler and Nazi Germany.

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Book SynopsisThe technical details of British warships were recorded in a set of plans produced by the builders on completion of every ship. Known as the as fitted' general arrangements, these drawings represented the exact appearance and fitting of the ship as it entered service. Intended to provide a permanent reference for the Admiralty and the dockyards, these highly detailed plans were drawn with exquisite skill in multi-coloured inks and washes that represent the acme of the draughtsman's art. Today they form part of the incomparable collection of the National Maritime Museum at Greenwich, which is using the latest scanning technology to make digital copies of the highest quality. This book is one of a series based entirely on these draughts which depict famous warships in an unprecedented degree of detail - complete sets in full colour, with many close-ups and enlargements that make every aspect clear and comprehensible. Extensive captions point the reader to important features to be found in the plans, and an introduction covers the background to the design. The subject of this volume is best known for the disaster of 22 September 1914 in which Cressy and two sister-ships, Aboukir and Hogue, were sunk with great loss of life by a single small submarine in little more than an hour. Having been overtaken by the rapid advance of naval technology in the fifteen years since their construction, the cruisers were regarded as obsolete and employed on a task for which they were never intended. However, in their day they were powerful and innovative ships, with a significant impact on the way the armoured cruiser developed. This becomes clear from the analysis of the plans included in this book, which thus presents an original and more positive view of these ships that will enlighten - and perhaps surprise - many naval historians and enthusiasts.

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Book SynopsisThis latest German Army book by Jack Sheldon covers a shorter (three week) timeframe than his earlier works. After an introductory chapter tracing the development of the Hindenburg Line, the author concentrates on German aspects of the bitterly fought battle of Cambrai from 20 November to 6 December 1917. The narrative splits easily into two parts. First the defensive battle 20 29 November followed by the counter-attack which saw the German Army regain not only most of the ground lost in the opening phase but more besides. Detailed descriptions are given of the struggle for Flesquires Ridge and the see-saw battles for key terrain, including Bourlon Wood, as the German Army rushed reinforcements to the sectors under attack before we witness the German offensive. As with his other books full use is made of primary source material from the Munich Kriegsarchiv, the Hauptstaatsarchiv in Stuttgart, regimental histories and personal accounts. Of particular interest are the controversial interventions in operational matters of Ludendorf which were sharply criticised by Crown Prince Rupprecht. But for many the most fascinating aspect will be the experiences of the front line soldiers.

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Book SynopsisWhen the call went out in 1917 for volunteers willing to serve both at home and on the Western Front in a newly founded Women's Army Auxiliary Corps, young women from every province of Ireland responded just as eagerly as those from homes in Scotland, England and Wales. Drawn from every class, creed, family background and ability, the girls who came forward to join the WAAC from Ireland had often suffered equal heartbreak over the loss of husbands, brothers and friends killed or wounded in France. Yet, their willingness to help bring about an end to the slaughter was a narrative that became ignored in popularised versions of that politically volatile era and it is hoped that this study will now go some way to restore a rightful recognition of their army service days within the historiography of twentieth-century Irishwomen. Their work as office workers, cooks and caterers, motor transport drivers, cryptanalysis and hi-tech telecommunication personnel are examined. Close investigation is made of the Irishwomen seconded to the Royal Engineers from branches of the General Post Office in Ireland and elsewhere. Attached to Signal units, they became key players in ensuring the Western Front's crucial, high-security army Lines of Communication remained viable. The story of these Irish servicewomen in the Great War winds up within the interwar period that followed. Had often dangerous war experiences affected these women's postwar life-changing decisions and aspirations? Compare/contrast experiences in the postwar era are cited. There were new careers, migration, home and family life. How many had foreseen that twenty years hence, Irish women veterans' of the Great War would once more rally at a time of fresh crisis?

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Book SynopsisThe annals of the First World War record the Argonne Forest as the epicentre of the famous Meuse-Argonne offensive of 1918\. The largest American operation launched against the Germans during the conflict. During 1914 and 1915 though, amidst the dense forest, French and Italian soldiers withstood the German assaults. All sides suffered horrendous casualties, as each sought to break through the lines. The epic four-year campaign is the subject of Richard Merry's vividly written account. His great-uncle arrived there in September 1914 and started corresponding with his family. Richard traces the stories of some of the men - and women - who became embroiled in the epic forest struggle which culminated in the cold, gas-filled autumnal mist of 1918 when the New Yorkers of the 77th 'Liberty' Division fought there. One of their number, Charles Whittlesey, and his 'Lost Battalion' held out against insurmountable odds. Sergeant Alvin York, the Tennessee backwoodsman and pacifist, overcame his religious convictions and wrote himself into American military history. The story does not end there; the author describes the aftermath of war in the area - the lethal outbreak of Spanish flu, the reburial of the dead, the rebuilding of the villages and the replanting of the forest before the Germans invaded again in 1940.

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Book SynopsisIn the past, while visiting the First World War battlefields, the author often wondered where the various Victoria Cross actions took place. He resolved to find out. In 1988, in the midst of his army career, research for this book commenced and over the years numerous sources have been consulted. Victoria Crosses on the Western Front: Battles of the Hindenburg Line - Havrincourt and Epehy is designed for the battlefield visitor as much as the armchair reader. A thorough account of each VC action is set within the wider strategic and tactical context. Detailed sketch maps show the area today, together with the battle-lines and movements of the combatants. It will allow visitors to stand upon the spot, or very close to, where each VC was won. Photographs of the battle sites richly illustrate the accounts. There is also a comprehensive biography for each recipient, covering every aspect of their lives warts and all: parents and siblings, education, civilian employment, military career, wife and children, death and burial/commemoration. A host of other information, much of it published for the first time, reveals some fascinating characters, with numerous links to many famous people and events.

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Book SynopsisJohn Lambert was a renowned naval draughtsman, whose plans were highly valued for their accuracy and detail by modelmakers and enthusiasts. By the time of his death in 2016 he had produced over 850 sheets of drawings, many of which have never been published. These were acquired by Seaforth and this title is the fourth of a planned series of albums on selected themes, reproducing complete sheets at a large page size, with expert commentary and captioning. Trawlers and drifters served in both world wars in their thousands; and, in their tens of thousands, so did their fishermen crews. Indeed, these humble craft were the most numerous vessel type used by the Royal Navy in both wars, and were the answer to the strategic or tactical conundrums posed by new technology of mines and submarines. In his accompanying text, Steve Dunn examines the ships themselves, their design, construction, arming, operations and development; and he also relates how the trawlermen and skippers, from the age-old fishing ports of Grimsby, Hull, Lowestoft ad Great Yarmouth, Aberdeen and Fleetwood, came to be part of the Royal Navy, and describes the roles they played, the conditions they served under and the bravery they showed. The book takes some 30 large sheets of drawings which John Lambert completed of these vessels and divides into two sections. The first part tells how the fishing fleet came to be an integral part of the Royal Navy's pre-1914 plans and details some of the activities and actions of trawlers and drifters at war in 1914-18\. And the second investigates the armed fishing fleet in the struggle of 1939-45. These wonderfully detailed drawings, which are backed by a selection of photographs and a detailed complementary text, offer a superb technical archive for enthusiasts and ship modellers, but the book also tells a fascinating story of the extraordinary contribution the vessels and their crews made to the defeat of Germany in two world wars.

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Book SynopsisThe Americans had considerable initial success when they launched their huge offensive against the Germans in the Meuse-Argonne in the last days of September 1918. However, not everything went smoothly and the attack became bogged down, held up by the several lines of the Hindenburg System and logistical challenges. A major additional obstacle was the presence of batteries of German artillery on the high ground on the right bank of the Meuse, almost untroubled by any significant assaults by the allied forces. These guns created severe problems for the American commanders and their troops. Eventually sufficient resources were allocated for an American-French attack on the right bank, with the aim of removing the German artillery and pushing the Germans off the Meuse Heights, part of the renewed offensive on the Left Bank and the Argonne Forest. The action often took place over ground that had already seen ferocious fighting during the Battle of Verdun in 1916 and the French offensive of late summer 1917. It also involved the very difficult achievement of getting large bodies of troops over the River Meuse and its associated canal. The terrain is rugged and, even then, quite heavily wooded. The American and French troops often had to fight uphill and in the face of German defences that had been developed over the previous twelve months. On the other hand, the quality of the defending troops was not high, as Germany faced so much pressure in other sectors, and included a significant number of Austro-Hungarian troops. Popular opinion tends to be dismissive of the fighting quality of these Austrian troops who, in fact, performed well. The tours take the visitor over some beautiful countryside, with stunning views over the Meuse and the Woevre Plain. There are significant vestiges of the war still to be seen, including numerous observation bunkers and shelters as well as trenches. An unusual feature of the area are the traces of part of the Maginot Line, notably bunkers (some of which are very large) and the rail infrastructure to support it, sometimes making use of lines that the Germans built during the First World War. One of these tours follows the fate of Henry Gunther, officially the last American soldier to be killed in action in the Great War. There is substantial myth about Gunther; the facts surrounding his death are examined, as well as placing his last action on the ground. There is a tour dedicated just to him.

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Book SynopsisWhen Britain went to war in 1914 many people rallied to the cause, determined to join the colours or be useful in some other way. Lady Dorothie Mary Evelyn Feilding was one of the latter. 'Lady D' spent almost three years on the Western Front in Belgium driving ambulances for the Munro Motor Ambulance Corps, an all-volunteer unit. During her time in Flanders her bravery was such that she received the Belgian Order of Leopold, the French Croix de Guerre and was the first woman to be awarded the British Military Medal. She wrote home to Newnham Paddox, near Rugby, almost daily. Her letters reflect the mundane, tragedy and horror of war and also the tensions of being a woman at the front contending with shells, gossip, funding, lice, vehicle maintenance and inconvenient marriage proposals. Though Dorothie was the daughter of an Earl and from a privileged upbringing she had an easy attitude that transcended social boundaries and that endeared her to all that she came in to contact with whether royalty or the ordinary fighting man.

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