The First World War
by John Keegan

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Book Reviews of The First World War

Book Review: A Broad View of a Big Subject
Summary: 4 Stars

Most of my reading around the Great War has been about particular and quite detailed parts - Ypers, the Somme, the German High Seas Fleet, Galipoli. The authors try to make sense of the bit upon which they are concentrating. The other parts are understandably ignored.

Keegan trys to make sense of the lot and to tie it all up:

- Why were the battles of the Western Front doomed to stalemate and attrittion?

- Why did Lloyd George persist with Haig?

- Why did the West support the White Russians when the Bolshevics were anti-German?

- Why did an Indian Army regiment muntiny in Singapore in 1915?

- Why, given the rates of attrition, did the war end in 1918?

- Why was the Great War a prelude to the Second World War?

Along with the big picture comes limited and pithy fine detail. Enough to give a flavour and to make the point.

My main criticism is in the prose style. Long, multi clause sentences are not easy to read and are, in general, unnecessary. Perhaps a better editor is required for the next book.

I must commend the bibleography to those who want more about any of the subject matter of the book.

If you want a book to put it all in context or if you want the broad overview I recommend this one.

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