About this item
Named one of the Ten Best Books of 2013 by The EconomistWorld 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.
About the Author
Peter Hart is a British military historian. He grew up in Stanhope, 1955-1962; Barton under Needwood, 1962-1964 and Stone, 1964-1967. He moved to Chesterfield and attended School there from 1967-1973 and Liverpool University, from 1973-1976. He then did a post-graduate teaching course at Crewe & Alsager College, 1976-1977 and finally post-grad librarianship at Liverpool Polytechnic, 1979-1980. He has been an oral historian at Sound Archive of Imperial War Museum in London since 1981. He has written mainly on British participation in the First World War. His books include; The Somme, Jutland 1916, Bloody April on the air war in 1917, Passchendaele, Aces Falling (on the air war in 1918) , 1918 A Very British Victory and Gallipoli.
