World War I: A concise military history

by Adrian Gilbert

World War I was one of the great turning points in history; it is with little exaggeration that the war can be seen as the catalyst to the formation of the modern world.

The combination of mass armies and a revolution in military technology ensured that the conflict would reach a destructiveness unknown in history, and with a geographical reach that saw what began as a remote Balkans conflict spread swiftly to encompass the globe.

The objective of World War A concise military history is to provide the reader with a concise yet authoritative account of this conflict, explaining its causes and consequences while focusing on the conduct of the the great battles on land and sea and the advent of a new kind of warfare in the skies.


‘This book is a useful corrective to the view that the war consisted almost entirely of infantry battles in France. Absorbing’ – Philip Warner, Daily Telegraph

‘It's difficult to think of a better short introduction to the military operations of the First World War. Covers campaigns outside Europe as well as the war at sea and in the air. There is also a useful guide to further reading. Highly recommended’ - Goodreads review

Adrian Gilbert has written extensively on 20th-century warfare. Among his books are histories of sniping, POWs, the French Foreign Legion, and an award-wining account of the British Army in the Western Desert during World War II.

32 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 2, 2014

About the author

Adrian Gilbert is a British author and historian who writes primarily on the subject of military history – particularly relating to wars of the 20th century.

Reviews

[Ietrio · Rating 1 out of 5]

Concise as a code word for dry enumeration of the current orthodoxy without going anywhere deeper than the shallowest of interpretations.

[Lynne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating and Informative

I've always been a fan of the literature of the first world war, from Birdsong to The Ghost Road to The Flowers of The Field. But I've always shied away from the hefty tomes of military history which have no doubt informed so many moving dramas. So this guide has been invaluable. Short enough not to intimidate, but detailed enough to hold my interest, it has guided me through the 'war to end all wars' and left me much better informed by the end. A chilling insight into a period of slaughter unparalled in human history, and with a final death toll that needs reading twice. Should be a staple of any library.

[Chloe Thurlow · Rating 5 out of 5]

Few who lived through World War I (1914-1918) are still alive today, but its impact on modern society, culture and technology cannot be underestimated. Adrian Gilbert in ‘World War One’ promises a concise history of that devastating conflict and explains in an energetic, authorities style the war’s origins, it’s bloody battles and lasting consequences.

[Nicholas Best · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short is often better than long when it comes to books about the Great War. Adrian Gilbert duly delivers a concise account of the war from start to finish that would make an excellent A-level primer. Read it in an afternoon and you will know as much as you ever need to about that appalling conflict.

[Anthony Bruce · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's difficult to think of a better short introduction to the military operations of the First World War. Covers campaigns outside Europe as well as the war at sea and in the air. There is also a useful guide to further reading. Highly recommended.

[Beth Willis · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a tremendous military history of World War One, focusing on the military strategy and battles themselves. Full of fascinating insights.