The Great War A Combat History of the First World War

World War I was the single most important event of the twentieth century, shaping the world that we live in today. A truly global conflict, it changed the course of world history: empires fell, powerful political forces were unleashed, dreadful post-war social and economic conditions left millions in a state of despair. Understanding the Great War, and the decisions that drove its progression, is imperative to understanding the history of the twentieth century and the present day. InThe Great War, acclaimed historian Peter Hart explores World War I in arenas across the globe, combining historical scholarship with vivid and unfamiliar eye-witness accounts from generals, kings, and ordinary soldiers. He focuses in particular on the military conduct of the Great War, explaining how technology and tactics developed over the course of the engagement, and considers the strategic imperatives that drove commanders into battle. With an enthralling narrative that follows the most significant battles and illuminates key players in every arena,The Great Waris a masterful history of the devastating conflict whose 100th anniversary is fast approaching.

Peter Hart is Oral Historian of the Imperial War Museum in London. He is the author of The Somme: The Darkest Hour on the Western Front, 1918: A Very British Victory, and Gallipoli.