Death of a generation: from Neuve Chapelle to Verdun and the Somme

by Alistair Horne

Death of a Neuve Chapelle to Verdun and the Somme (Library of 20th Century)

Genres: History, World War I

Hardcover

First published January 1, 1970

About the author

Sir Alistair Allan Horne was an English journalist, biographer and historian of Europe, especially of 19th and 20th century France. He wrote more than 20 books on travel, history, and biography. He won the following awards: Hawthornden Prize, 1963, for The Price of Glory; Yorkshire Post Book of the Year Prize and Wolfson Literary Award, both 1978, both for A Savage War of Peace: Algeria 1954-1962; French Légion d'Honneur, 1993, for work on French history;and Commander of the British Empire (CBE), 2003.

Reviews

[Dan Lutts · Rating 5 out of 5]

The First World War has always fascinated me because my great great grandfather fought in it on the side of the Allies. When I was young, I asked my great great Grandfather about the war, but the only things he would tell me about it was that the trenches were always filled with water and the mice in the trenches were as big as rats. After reading this book, I can see why he wouldn't talk about the war. The book is well worth reading.

[Jonfaith · Rating 3 out of 5]

I bought this earlier today, needing a book for the time spent at a maintenance center having my wife's car serviced.

Death of a Generation is an analysis of the Western Front in the Great War from 1914-1916. Horne discusses the tragedy with his customary acumen, larding such with acute testimony of participants. Bolstering this are simply astonishing images, photos, paintings and period advertisements which truly haunt.

The book is part of an American Heritage Library of the 20th Century. I'm curious about the project.

[pablo! · Rating 4 out of 5]

Recuerdo que hace algunos años lei un libro de la misma colección sobre la revolución rusa de 1905 y quedé encantado. Me ha alegrado comprobar que el recuerdo era correcto.

Estilo correcto y conciso, bellamente editado y esclarecedor.

A veces parece que la victoria de la entente fue un milagro viendo la incapacidad de adaptación británica y la inestabilidad política francesa.

[Alex MacKenzie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another good book from the MacDonald Library of the 20th Century.
Well illustrated and fairly easy read.
Having said that…
The topic is Verdun and the Somme.
Nothing can compare to the hell that the soldiers went through. The British, French & German armies weren’t just exhausted by those two battles; they were broken & burnt out. They all managed to carry on for a short while, the British until help (the Americans) arrived, the French until May 1917 (54 Divisions mutinied), the Germans until August 1918 (military collapse).
Mention was made of the “secret” weapons that were employed in both battles: Poison gas, Flame throwers and Tanks. Also mentioned was the fate of the Newfoundland Regiment on the first day of the Somme.
Verdun - total French losses: 377k, total German losses 337k
Somme - total Allied losses: 620k, total German losses: 450k
For little or no gain.