The Great War, 1914-1918 [Paperback]

This brief work is an excellent introduction to understanding the idea and the practice of total war in the industrial age. As the first step toward further study or as a clear and easy-to-read refresher course on four of the most brutal years of the 20th century, Tuckers book is highly recommended. Choice

This packed, encyclopedic military history offers both a clear overview and detailed narrative of military and diplomatic events of the First World War.... Anyone interested in the Great War and its aftermath will find plenty here that goes a long way toward explaining what the war was about, why it happened, and what it meant. H-Net Reviews

World War I was an event of unprecedented violence and a turning point in history. This book presents a clearly written narrative for the general reader that concentrates on the military campaigns of The Great War. It addresses the dilemmas posed by new technologies and the impact of command decisions to overcome them. The author also provides an easy-to-understand, concise analysis of the events leading to the war and of the flawed peace settlement that came in its wake.

Preliminary Table of Contents: (note: this is a final TOC)

Preface
1. The Background
2. 1914: The War of Movement
3. 1915: Stalemate and Trench Warfare
4. 1916: The Cauldron
5. 1917: The Turning Point
6. 1918: The End
7. Other Theatres of War
8. The Home Fronts
9. The Peace Lost

Spencer C. Tucker is chair of the History Department and professor of Modern European and military history at Texas Christian University.