The origins of the first world war is an ambitious and wideranging analysis of the historical forces at work in the europeof 1914, and the very different ways in which historians have subsequently attempted to understand them. Hidden history uniquely exposes those responsible for the first world war. William boyd, author of first world war novel waiting for sunrise, has. Lucid and comprehensive, britain and the origins of the first world war brings together the bureaucratic, diplomatic, economic, strategical and ideological factors that led to britains entry into the great war, and remains the most complete survey of the pre war situation.
Anika mombauer is an authority on the origins and opening phases of the first world war. This third edition includes a new introduction, a chronology of the key. Remembering world war i with 10 astounding books barnes. Five books on world war i military history, memoir, and even a novelized series make this list of cantmiss books about the great war. I survey the historiography of the origins of the war in my node in world war i. World wars numberof war dates greatpowers countriesa severityb intensityc grandalliance 168997 5 abfns 680 6,939 spanishsuccession 170114 5 abfns 1,251 12,490 austrian 174048 6 abfprs 359 3,379 succession sevenyearswar 175663 6 abfprs 992 9,118 french 17921802 5 abfpr 663 5,816 revolutionary wars napoleonicwars 180315 5. Some of the distant origins of world war i can be seen in the results and consequences of the francoprussian war in 18701871 and the concurrent unification of germany. The literature generated from world war i is well documented and will hopefully serve as a reminder of how the world can fall apart. William mulligan argues that the war was a far from inevitable outcome of international politics in the early twentieth century and suggests instead that there were. Which is the best book to read on the origins of the first world war. List of books and articles about world war i causes.
This has to be one of the best books on ww1 that has been written, it deals. William mulligan argues that the war was a far from inevitable. Annotation this work provides concise introduction to one of the major historical controversies of our time. Dreadnought book is very good on the build up to war, particularly as you can tell from the title the naval rivalry between britain and germany. The origins of the first world war is a highly readable and enlightening tour of the world in mid1914. Of the articles on the major participants those on serbia, austriahungary, russia, france, and great britain are all very good to excellent, succeeding in turning up valuable facts and insights. To argue that the world of 1919 was worse than that of 1914 is to miss the point. The second world war was the most catastrophic war in human history. The subject is getting more attention now, but this book was previously hailed as the best.
Wainwright prize for nature writing goes to extraordinary. It starts with the actions of bismarck in 1871 and covers all the conflicts in europe that resulted in the war declararions of european countries in auguest 1914. The history of the first world war 01 by david stevenson isbn. An annotated bibliography of books in the library of congress main reading room reference collection on world war i. Joll doesnt come at you from any particular political perspective and grants you access to all the arguments for the conflict. Annika mombauer is senior lecturer in modern history at the open university, milton keynes. The seminal event of the 20th century, the origins of the first world war have always been difficult to establish and have aroused deep controversy. Germany had won decisively and established a powerful empire, while france fell into chaos and military decline for years.
Examining the strategic and political problems that confronted each of the great powers and the way in which social and economic factors influenced the decisionmaking process, martel discusses the position of each power and their place in the system of alliances which dominated international politics. The secret origins of the first world war reprint by docherty. All quiet on the western front by erich maria remarque, the guns of august by barbara w. This is a good english language book on the other side of the war. Both sides quickly published collections of diplomatic correspondence purporting to show that the blame for the war lay elsewhere. Excellent singlevolume history of the first world war, focusing on the land battles on the western, eastern and italian fronts and the war against the ottoman empire. Providing a new interpretation of the origins of the first world war, this textbook synthesises recent scholarship and introduces the major historiographical and political debates surrounding the outbreak of the war. Dr william mulligan ucd explores the complex origins of the first world war, which was the product of a series of international crises.
As richard hamilton and holger herwig remark in the introduction to their edited collection of essays on the origins of the first world war, thousands of books and countless articles have been written on the subject, a veritable flood that began with the outbreak of the conflict in 1914 and continues to this day. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Usage public domain topics first world war, expansionism collection opensource language english. I did not know anything about the first ww and i am glad i started with this book. Which is the best book on the causes of the first world war. Whether youre a history buff wellversed in the events of the great war, or someone who has just begun to be curious, weve got a collection of books to help you navigate the complex, fearsome, and fascinating facts and stories of the devastating conflict that shook the world. In the first battle of world war i, the germans assaulted the heavily fortified city of liege, using the most. The origins of the first world war are a particularly telling example of the connection between history writing and contemporary political concerns, in which the past is viewed through the lens of the present, and vice versa.
The book focuses on the controversy itself, rather than the specific events leading up to the war. This short books tours one of the darkest and deadliest periods in modern history first world war i. The late james joll was emeritus professor of the university of london and a fellow of the british academy. The origins of the first world war is a concise introduction to one of the major historical controversies. Controversies and consensus making history 1 by annika mombauer isbn. Books in the main reading room reference collection. He explores the roles of imperialism, european strategic alliances, rising military capability, the influence of public opinion on foreign policy and the impact of the global economic climate on policy and politics. This collection of essays deals with some of the problems posed by the origins of world war ii.
Wainwright prize for nature writing won by extraordinary book on first world war. Before 1960 general historical opinion held that world war i broke out, world war ii was precipitated. This summer marks the 100year anniversary of the start of world war i. The debate on the origins of the first world war started almost as soon as the conflict broke out in august 1914. The war to end all wars, peter simkins, geoffrey jukes and michael hickey. World war i began in 1914, after the assassination of archduke franz ferdinand, and lasted until 1918. The origins of the second world war in europe are complex and controversial. Annika mombauer tracks the impassioned debates as they developed at critical points through the twentieth century. The strategic and political problems that confronted each power are considered, as is the way in which society and. Buy the origins of the first world war longman history in depth by graham darby isbn. This is a series of articles that aim to reexamine the origins of world war i in light of the latest research up to early 2000s.
The following article is a list of ten books that provide different perspectives on the root causes of the second world. The origins of the first world war by joll abebooks. European tribal nationalism may also be of interest for an understanding of panslav and neoslav ideology, as well as their teutonic equivelents many, many books have been written with the title of this node. Origins of the first world war the national archives. Check out the new look and enjoy easier access to your favorite features. This 3rd edition includes a new introduction, a chronology of the key events and an update on the historical debate explaining the directions in which the historiography is heading. The debate on the origins of world war one the british. Was world war ii part of a developing world crisis or should it be seen purely in a european context. The origins of the first world war longman history in. Origins of the first world war summarizes the policies, issues and crises that brought europe to war in 1914. It convinced me that several notable individuals on both sides were. A world in which imperial germany had won world war one would. An annotated bibliography books in the main reading room reference collection.
The 17 best books on world war i of 2020 thoughtco. The position of each of the great powers is clearly explained, including their place in the system of alliances that dominated international politics. The origins of the first world war summarises and analyses the policies, issues and crises that brought europe to war in 1914. Five books on world war i history smithsonian magazine. James jolls study is an analysis of the historical forces at work in the europe of 1914 and the very different way in which historians view them. Heres s picks for the top 10 books written about world war i. It discusses the long term causes of the war, including nationalism, militarism and an inherently unstable international system. The secret origins of the first world war amazon uk. It all started as a diplomatic feud brought on by the. List of world war i books is a bibliography using apa style citations of a selection of books on world war i reference works. A legacy of animosity grew between france and germany following the german annexation of alsacelorraine.
History on the net authentic history world war 1 overview origins of the war imperialism one of the main causes of the first world war was imperialism. The origins of the first world war providing a new interpretation of the origins of the first world war, this textbook synthesises recent scholarship and introduces the major historiographical and political debates surrounding the outbreak of the war. Controversies and consensus making history 1 by mombauer, annika isbn. This collection of documents will be useful to specialists in diplomatic and military history of the first world war period, as well as instructors and students who seek convenient access to a crosssection of primary material on the origins of first world war. Vienna is the essential starting point for any inquiry into the origins of world war i.
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