Complete Idiot's Guide to World War I [Paperback]

Ph.D. Alan Axelrod (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 12, 2000 | Series: The Complete Idiot's Guide

You’re no idiot, of course. You know that World War I was “the Great War,” and you’re familiar with its images: muddy trenches, poison gas, and a no-man’s-land of craters and barbed wire.

But when it comes to understanding its causes, why it dragged on for four years, and how it set the stage for World War II, you’re lost behind enemy lines. Don’t wave the white flag just yet! The Complete Idiot’s Guide® to World War I gives you a comprehensive over-view of the first global war, from the assassination of the Archduke Franz Ferdinand to the Treaty of  Versailles. In this Complete Idiot’s Guide®, you get:

• Broad coverage of the secret treaties and en-tangling alliances that led to war.
• Comprehensive analysis of some of history’s bloodiest battles, including the Somme, Tannenburg, Gallipoli, and Belleau Wood.
• Expert commentary on the development of weapons such as the tank, the dreadnought battleship, poison gas, and the German U-boat.
• Valuable insights into the war’s influence on this century’s political and cultural development.

 

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

For history buffs, students, and anyone interested in the 20th century, this book reveals why World War I began, explores the "guns of August," describes the horrors of trench warfare and the first uses of poison gas, and explains why the Americans were so slow to enter the war. From the eastern front to the west, from Gallipoli to the Marne, from the Lafayette Escadrillo to Lawrence fo Arabia, the book tells the whole story of "the war to end all wars."

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 18 and up
  
• Paperback: 403 pages
• Publisher: Alpha; 1 edition (October 12, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0028639022
• ISBN-13: 978-0028639024
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 7.3 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #551,208 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Some Idiot Published a War Book Without Maps, September 25, 2005

By 

Smallchief - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Complete Idiot's Guide to World War I (Paperback)

There's not a single map gracing the pages of this "Idiot's Guide" which indicates perhaps that idiocy is widespread in the publishing industry as well as elsewhere. How can you publish a war book without maps? It's sort of like publishing a book called "Great Paintings of Rembrandt" without any illustrations.

Except for the absence of maps, this book has a lot of virtues. It's easy to read, covers every aspect of the war concisely, defines a lot of technical terms, throws in some apt quotes, gives you a "Who's Who of WW I," and makes sense of what was a brutal, boring, but earth-shattering event.

Most of what happened of interest in the war was during the first month in which the Germans made a huge sweep through Belgium and France -- the Schlieffen Plan -- and nearly won all the marbles in a single turn. German luck and nerve failed however and the French were able to hold on by the skin of their "dents." You can readily skip reading about most of the next four dismal years. It's all about mindless slaughter. Then, in 1918 the allies -- especially the British -- repelled five desperate German offensives and an allied counterattack -- spearheaded by the Americans -- forced the Germans to surrender. A couple of chapters at the end discuss the aftermath of WW I, the "lost generation," the League of Nations, and all the other factors that made WW I the opening act for WW II.

By all means look up "Lawrence, T.E." and "Lettow-Vorbeck, Paul von" in the index for interesting summaries of the war in the Middle East and Africa.

Smallchief

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A Very Good Overview With One Major Flaw, December 28, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Complete Idiot's Guide to World War I (Paperback)

After reading this book, I have come to two conclusions:

1 - It is a very good overview of the First World War. It is detailed and in-depth enough for the layperson, but not too detailed as to be overly analytical. I have found that it is a very helpful summary of the causes, actions, and outcomes of WW I.

2 - There is not one map in the whole book! It gives you overviews, analyses, facts, figures, and locations, but not one map to see how the battles and movements occured! Unless you are a geography buff, my recomendation is that you have an atlas by your side if you choose to read it. This major flaw has caused me to drop my rating from 5-star to 3-star.

In my opinion, if you write a book about places and happenings (such as a major war as WW I), you definitely NEED maps. Please don't get me wrong, this is a very good book, but like I said, you need an atlas to read it.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Useful book on a complex subject, November 17, 2001

By 

David Traill (Stuart, FL United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Complete Idiot's Guide to World War I (Paperback)

Don't think you are an idiot if World War One confuses you at times. Any war where the Allies are the Entente and the Alliance is the "bad guys" is bound to be confusing. The details on the buildup to war, political and military, are patient and easily read. The day-to-day fighting is also well told, and then the all-important end of the war and its subsequent treaty are also well done. The post-war aspects are especially thorough, laying the stage for World War II. This owuld be useful for anyone who needs a handbook on the way Wordl War I came about and was fought.