The Great War: A Combat History of the First World War Contributor(s): Hart, Peter (Author) |
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ISBN: 0190227354 ISBN-13: 9780190227357 Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA OUR PRICE: $18.89 Product Type: Paperback - Other Formats Published: May 2015 |
Additional Information |
BISAC Categories: - History | Military - World War I - History | Europe - General - History | Military - General |
Dewey: 940.4 |
Physical Information: 1.3" H x 5.5" W x 8.2" (1.45 lbs) 544 pages |
Themes: - Chronological Period - 1900-1919 |
Descriptions, Reviews, Etc. |
Publisher Description: Named one of the Ten Best Books of 2013 by The Economist World War I altered the landscape of the modern world in every conceivable arena. Millions died; empires collapsed; new ideologies and political movements arose; poison gas, warplanes, tanks, submarines, and other technologies appeared. Total war emerged as a grim, mature reality. In The Great War, Peter Hart provides a masterful combat history of this global conflict. Focusing on the decisive engagements, Hart explores the immense challenges faced by the commanders on all sides. He surveys the belligerent nations, analyzing their strengths, weaknesses, and strategic imperatives. Russia, for example, was obsessed with securing an exit from the Black Sea, while France--having lost to Prussia in 1871, before Germany united--constructed a network of defensive alliances, even as it held a grudge over the loss of Alsace-Lorraine. Hart offers deft portraits of the commanders, the prewar plans, and the unexpected obstacles and setbacks that upended the initial operations. |