The First World War | 
| Author: Michael Howard
Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
Category: Book
List Price: $17.95
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Avg. Customer Rating:  13 reviews
Sales Rank: 402563
Media: Paperback
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 176
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.5
Dimensions (in): 7.6 x 5.5 x 0.5
ISBN: 0192804456
Dewey Decimal Number: 940
EAN: 9780192804457
Publication Date: August 21, 2003
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| Editorial Reviews:
Product Description
Now more than ever, a clear historical understanding of the conflicts that have engulfed the world is essential. In The First World War, one of the most respected historians of his generation offers a brief but hugely readable narrative account of WWI, its causes and consequences, and the many historical controversies surrounding the origin and conduct of the war.
Karl von Clausewitz wrote that war is a trinity composed of the policy of the government, the activities of the military, and the passions of the people. Michael Howard argues that "each of these must be taken into account if we are to understand both why the war happened and why it took the course it did." In nine brisk chapters, Howard lays out the historical situation in Europe in 1914, the dispositions of the major belligerents prior to the war, the causes of war, the major campaigns, the entrance of the United States, the crisis, victory, and settlement of the war. Along the way, he offers compelling insights into the political motivations, military actions, and the "passions of the people" that contributed most strongly to the outcome of the war.
There is no other short history of WWI on the market today written by a historian of Michael Howard's stature. For anyone wishing to gain a quick but authoritative understanding of one of the most crucial events of the twentieth century, The First World War is the best place to begin.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 8 more reviews...
 Concise but informative and highly readable June 29, 2008
For a little book as compact as this, Howard does a quite enviable task of outlining the 'Great War'. In fact, calling it an outline, or indeed 'very short', does it a disservice. Howard doesn't leave anything substantial out or waste any pages with discussion of the trivial. The impression given is of a historian trying to let the events speak for themselves.
After reading the book I felt not only that it had given me a better grasp of the chronology and course of the war, but also answers to some of the key questions. Why the war, in the end, was unavoidable given the clumsy diplomacy of Bismark's successors. Why the morale of the German army and of the home front crumbled despite the vast (yet brief) empire in the east gained by the defeat of Russia. And why, because of French (and American) insistance upon a harsh peace, the rise of Hitler was inevitable and the carnage repeated on a still grander scale, ony 20 years later.
Good Overview of a great European Tragedy July 31, 2007
This book provides a good (and brief) overview of the tangled alliances which led up to the industrial strength slaughter of 'The Great War'. Perhaps more detail of the events which led up to the alliances could have been included. Certainly the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand was not the sole cause of the war, as some may think, and this book does explain that. To some, Woodrow Wilson is portrayed as a savior but some of The Allied Powers were put off by his preaching. Good reading.
Spend a day reading this and you may get hooked on History.
Good introduction but very slow June 15, 2007
Just finished this small book. It is exactly what it says 'A Very Short Introduction'. It did give a very general overview but wasn't as clear as I would of liked. I ofter was left wondering. It also isn't written cronologically so at times becomes confusing. The author, Michael Howard also seems enjoy using fancy words when not necessary, making it difficult at times. This was my first read on WWI and feel like I am readt for more detail.
a great start December 5, 2006
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
The perfect introduction to the First World War. Howard has the gift of brevity. In less than 200 pages he has written the entire history of the great war. Howard has some unique theories that make this book worth reading even for someone who knows a great deal about the war. If you want a massive amount of detail read Keegan, if you want the war in a nutshell read Howard. His history of the Franco-Prussian War is a must read, also.
 Look to Keegan et al. & Invest more time for more substance September 7, 2004
6 out of 7 found this review helpful
A decent summary, even concise; a basic introduction to the conflagration that is referred to as the First World War. As others have stated, this book is all three, but at the same time is superficial, pedestrian, and lacking in originality. For example: "Since the Great War of 1914-1918 was fought on all the oceans of the world and ultimately involved belligerents from every continent, it can justifiably be termed a "world war". But it was certainly not the first. European powers had been fighting each other all over the globe for the previous 300 years." Those are the opening sentences in this short hardcover book of 143 (junior-sized) pages. This book has 7 very simple maps; basically of various maps of Europe at this time, with almost nothing in detail of the battle lines of the conflict. The author repeatedly mentions lines of defense & areas of attack, but offers no aids herein regarding maps and/or description. What you get from reading this work is not, in short, much better than what you'd get from a fairly decent encyclopedia treatment; and at least there you'd get a few color battle maps instead of the ink lines that suffice in this work. Yes, this volume is billed as "A very short introduction"; I acknowledge that, and with the limitations that implies. I just don't see why one would choose this selection; of, in effect, rice cakes simply because you may not be interested in having a heavy meal. My recommendation thus is to look to John Keegan or others for more value, substance, and insight concerning the "Great War". Cheers!
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