About this item
A powerful visual and narrative treatment of the "war to end all wars". The First World War in 100 Objects draws on the most interesting 100 items that describe the causes, progress and outcome of the First World War. From weapons that created carnage to affectionate letters home, these 100 objects are as extraordinary in their diversity and storytelling power as they are devastating in their poignancy. This is the stuff of war at its most horrible. Here are a few of these objects: military significance -- a Vickers machine gun iconic power -- John Singer Sargent's painting, Gassed personal sentiment -- a German button given to a British Tommy in the Christmas Truce of 1914 political importance -- President Woodrow Wilson's Fourteen Points.
About the Author
John Hughes-Wilson retired from a prominent army career to become one of Britain's leading military historians, as well as a successful novelist. A former Colonel on NATO's International Political Staff in Brussels, his military posts included Head of Policy and Senior British Intelligence Officer, SHAPE, and posts with Intelligence, Counter-Terrorism and Special Forces. During his 25 years' service with the Intelligence Corps and as a Special Forces Operations officer, he saw active service in the Falklands, Cyprus, Arabia and Northern Ireland.
A past president of the International Guild of Battlefield Guides, Hughes-Wilson is a respected commentator on a wide range of intelligence and military historical subjects and lectures for a number of international, governmental and academic organisations.
His factual books include the best-selling Military Intelligence Blunders; Blindfold and Alone published by Constable & Robinson, (described by the Guardian as "the definitive book on the WW1 executions") ; and A Brief History of the Cold War. The Puppet Masters, a history of intelligence, published by Phoenix was shortlisted for the Westminster Gold Medal. An American Coup d'Etat - Who Really Killed JFK? was published in 2013 by John Blake Publishing. His books have been translated into six languages, including Japanese and Turkish. He has produced over 150 articles and broadcasts worldwide on defence and related subjects. In 2012 he was selected to be the author of the Imperial War Museum's official History of the First World War, due out in 2014.
Hughes-Wilson has been a frequent broadcaster for BBC television and radio, covering the Falklands 25th Anniversary celebration (with Huw Edwards) as well as live commentary for the annual cenotaph memorial for BBC Television (with David Dimbleby) . He has presented numerous television programmes for film companies, including the award-nominated BBC's What If? television series and Fulcrum TV's 1945.
He is an Archives Fellow of Churchill College Cambridge and a working Fellow of the Royal United Services Institute in Whitehall.
Since retiring he has travelled and lectured extensively, leading over 150 battlefield tours and giving public presentations. He has trained the Palestinian Police in Gaza on intelligence for counter-terrorism and improvised explosive devices for the EU, plus numerous other training contracts for the UN in the Balkans, the Swiss General Staff and the UNDP. He is a visiting university lecturer for a number of universities, as well as the Continuing Professional Development organisation and international corporations such as Shell, Reuters, IBM Europe and the City of London.
