The Unquiet Western Front: Britain's Role in Literature and History

by Brian Bond

Britain's role in the First World War has been portrayed through literature, films and plays with a marked un-historical, anti-war spirit. Deeply-rooted myths have thus become dominant and historians have either endorsed them, or have written narrowly for other specialists. As a result of the opening of official military archives and more objective study, these portrayals are now being challenged. This book traces the controversy from 1918 to the present, concluding that historians are finally permitting World War I to be placed in a more accurate perspective.

Genres: History, Military History, World War I, Literature, War

140 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2002

About the author

Brian James Bond was a British military historian and professor emeritus of military history at King's College London.

Reviews

[Robyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really interesting argument about the mythification of WW1 in literature and media, and the implications of that mythification in the public consciousness

[Ryan Wulfsohn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bond does an excellent job of exploring the truth, myths and outright lies of how Britain's part in the First World War is remembered. By no means comprehensive (it is based on a lecture he gave at Cambridge) but a good place to start for those interested in what really happened on the Western Front.

[AskHistorians]

Based on a series of lectures, this slender volume offers a sort of meditation on much of what has already been described in this section above. Bond pays specific attention to the literary and cinematic spheres, and has some considerably valuable things to say.