The great war--or the First World War, as most Americans call it--was the true turning point of the century just past. It brought down dynasties and empires, including the Ottoman--one of the roots of our present difficulties. It changed the United States from a bumptious provincial nation into a world power. It made World War II inevitable, and the Cold War as well. Above all, the Great War was history's first total war, an armed conflict on a world stage between industrialized powers. Robert Cowley has brought together ...
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The great war--or the First World War, as most Americans call it--was the true turning point of the century just past. It brought down dynasties and empires, including the Ottoman--one of the roots of our present difficulties. It changed the United States from a bumptious provincial nation into a world power. It made World War II inevitable, and the Cold War as well. Above all, the Great War was history's first total war, an armed conflict on a world stage between industrialized powers. Robert Cowley has brought together the thirty articles in this book to examine that unnecessary but perhaps inevitable war in its diverse aspects. A number of the subjects covered here are not just unfamiliar but totally fresh. Who originated the term "no-man's-land" and the word "tank"? What forgotten battles nearly destroyed the French Army in 1915? How did the discovery of a German naval codebook bring the United States into the war? What was the weapon that, for the first time, put a man-made object into the stratosphere? The Great War takes a hard look at the legend of the "Massacre of the Innocents" at Ypres in 1914--an event that became a cornerstone of Nazi mythology. It describes the Gallipoli campaign as it has never been described before--from the Turkish side. Brought to life as well are the horrors of naval warfare, as both British and German sailors experienced them at the Battle of Jutland; the near breakdown of the American commander, John H. Pershing; and the rarely told story of the British disaster on the Tigris River in what is now Iraq. Michael Howard chronicles the summer of 1914 and the descent into a war that leaders were actually more afraid to avoid than to join.John Keegan writes about the muddy tragedy of Passchendaele in 1917. Jan Morris details the rise and fall of Sir John Fisher, whom she characterizes as the greatest British admiral since Nelson. Robert Cowley tells the haunting story of the artist Kathe Kollwitz, determined to create a memorial to her dead son. In every way this is a book that does justice to the drama and complexity of the twentieth century's seminal event. "From the Hardcover edition."
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Seller's Description:
Dispatched, from the UK, within 48 hours of ordering. This book is in good condition but will show signs of previous ownership. Please expect some creasing to the spine and/or minor damage to the cover. Damaged cover. The cover of is slightly damaged for instance a torn or bent corner. Aged book. Tanned pages and age spots, however, this will not interfere with reading.
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Good. Good condition. Very Good dust jacket. A copy that has been read but remains intact. May contain markings such as bookplates, stamps, limited notes and highlighting, or a few light stains.
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Very Good. Very Good condition. A copy that may have a few cosmetic defects. May also contain light spine creasing or a few markings such as an owner's name, short gifter's inscription or light stamp.
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Good. Good condition. A copy that has been read but remains intact. May contain markings such as bookplates, stamps, limited notes and highlighting, or a few light stains. Bundled media such as CDs, DVDs, floppy disks or access codes may not be included.
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Very Good in Very Good jacket. Size: 6x1x9; Minor shelf wear to slightly cocked binding. Light wear & soiling on edges of text block. Text and images unmarked. The dust jacket shows some light handling, in a mylar cover.
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Very Fine in Near Fine jacket. 8vo-over 7æ"-9æ" tall. Hardcover in non price-clipped dust-jacket. 509pp., Index. First edition, first printing [stated, with number line starting with 2 as per Random House practice]. A collection of 30 articles convering varied and divers aspects of the war, from its political, economic and diplomatic beginnings, its naval and land engagements, its technological innovations [airplane, tank, submarine], and its tumultuous aftermath. No previous owneship marks. Rear dust-jacket panel shows mild wear. A very clean, square, fresh and unread copy. Very fine in a near fine dust-jacket.
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Seller's Description:
Very Good in Very Good jacket. pp. 528. Hardcover in Dust Jacket with only minor reading wear; DJ in mylar-wrap; book is clean, unmarked. In stock. Ships from MN, USA. Heavy book; orders from outside the United States will require additional shipping charges.