Search results for ""author christopher arnander""

This extraordinary diary is written by the 27th Earl of Crawford and Balcarres, who was an eminent MP for 18 years until the death of his father in 1913 when he was ennobled. His sense of duty drove him to join the RAMC as a Private (a commission would have been easily provided) and he served in a humble capacity in field hospitals in France without revealing his identity. His diaries and letters reflect the stark contrast between his privileged home life and the one he volunteered for in France and Flanders. Remarkably he is never heard to complain or regret his decision although he is often critical of his 'seniors'. Lord Crawford's pre- and post- war diaries The Crawford Papers (edited by Prof Vincent) describe his peacetime experiences and this book fills in a needy gap. His self- control must have been incredible as he found himself under the direction of far less intelligent and knowledgeable men holding more senior rank. This is a unique document which throws fascinating new light on what it meant to be a junior rank.

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Proverbs, those sage sayings and goblets of wisdom, invariably injected with gentle humour, are common to virtually all peoples and cultures on Earth. The Chinese are no exception.

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The Great War helped China emerge from humiliation and obscurity and take its first tentative steps as a full member of the global community. In 1912 the Qing Dynasty had ended. President Yuan Shikai, who seized power in 1914, offered the British 50,000 troops to recover the German colony in Shandong but this was refused. In 1916 China sent a vast army of labourers to Europe. In 1917 she declared war on Germany despite this effectively making the real enemy Japan an ally. The betrayal came when Japan was awarded the former German colony. This inspired the rise of Chinese nationalism and communism, enflamed by Russia. The scene was set for Japans incursions into China and thirty years of bloodshed. One hundred years on, the time is right for this accessible and authoritative account of Chinas role in The Great War and assessment of its national and international significance

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