The First World War

by John Keegan (Author)

391 ratings

ISBN-13: 978-0375700453

ISBN-10: 0375700455

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The definitive account of the Great War and national bestseller from one of our most eminent military historians, John Keegan.

The First World War created the modern world. A conflict of unprecedented ferocity, it abruptly ended the relative peace and prosperity of the Victorian era, unleashing such demons of the twentieth century as mechanized warfare and mass death. It also helped to usher in the ideas that have shaped our times--modernism in the arts, new approaches to psychology and medicine, radical thoughts about economics and society--and in so doing shattered the faith in rationalism and liberalism that had prevailed in Europe since the Enlightenment.

The First World War probes the mystery of how a civilization at the height of its achievement could have propelled itself into such a ruinous conflict and takes us behind the scenes of the negotiations among Europe's crowned heads (all of them related to one another by blood) and ministers, and their doomed efforts to defuse the crisis. Keegan reveals how, by an astonishing failure of diplomacy and communication, a bilateral dispute grew to engulf an entire continent.

But the heart of Keegan's superb narrative is, of course, his analysis of the military conflict. With unequalled authority and insight, he recreates the nightmarish engagements whose names have become legend--Verdun, the Somme and Gallipoli among them--and sheds new light on the strategies and tactics employed, particularly the contributions of geography and technology. No less central to Keegan's account is the human aspect. He acquaints us with the thoughts of the intriguing personalities who oversaw the tragically unnecessary catastrophe--from heads of state like Russia's hapless tsar, Nicholas II, to renowned warmakers such as Haig, Hindenburg and Joffre. But Keegan reserves his most affecting personal sympathy for those whose individual efforts history has not recorded--"the anonymous millions, indistinguishably drab, undifferentially deprived of any scrap of the glories that by tradition made the life of the man-at-arms tolerable."

By the end of the war, three great empires--the Austro-Hungarian, the Russian and the Ottoman--had collapsed. But as Keegan shows, the devastation ex-tended over the entirety of Europe, and still profoundly informs the politics and culture of the continent today. His brilliant, panoramic account of this vast and terrible conflict is destined to take its place among the classics of world history.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Eloquent.... Mr. Keegan captures the anamolous, even surreal quality of the war."  -The New York Times

"The best one-volume account there is."  -Civilization

"Elegantly written, clear, detailed, and omniscient.... Keegan is ...perhaps the best military historian of our day."  -The New York Times Book Review

"Undoubtedly the world's most accessible and popular military historian."  -Los Angeles Times Book Review

"Magisterial.... A miracle of concision."  -The Weekly Standard

"An epic tale.... Makes us keenly aware of how battles are fought, won, and lost."  -Fortune

From the Inside Flap

The First World War created the modern world. A conflict of unprecedented ferocity, it abruptly ended the relative peace and prosperity of the Victorian era, unleashing such demons of the twentieth century as mechanized warfare and mass death. It also helped to usher in the ideas that have shaped our times--modernism in the arts, new approaches to psychology and medicine, radical thoughts about economics and society--and in so doing shattered the faith in rationalism and liberalism that had prevailed in Europe since the Enlightenment. With The First World War, John Keegan, one of our most eminent military historians, fulfills a lifelong ambition to write the definitive account of the Great War for our generation.
Probing the mystery of how a civilization at the height of its achievement could have propelled itself into such a ruinous conflict, Keegan takes us behind the scenes of the negotiations among Europe's crowned heads (all of them related to one another by blood) and ministers, and their doomed efforts to defuse the crisis. He reveals how, by an astonishing failure of diplomacy and communication, a bilateral dispute grew to engulf an entire continent.
But the heart of Keegan's superb narrative is, of course, his analysis of the military conflict. With unequalled authority and insight, he recreates the nightmarish engagements whose names have become legend--Verdun, the Somme and Gallipoli among them--and sheds new light on the strategies and tactics employed, particularly the contributions of geography and technology. No less central to Keegan's account is the human aspect. He acquaints us with the thoughts of the intriguing personalities who oversaw the tragicallyunnecessary catastrophe--from heads of state like Russia's hapless tsar, Nicholas II, to renowned warmakers such as Haig, Hindenburg and Joffre. But Keegan reserves his most affecting personal sympathy for those whose individual efforts history has not recorded--"the anonymous millions, indistinguishably drab, undifferentially deprived of any scrap of the glories that by tradition made the life of the man-at-arms tolerable."
By the end of the war, three great empires--the Austro-Hungarian, the Russian and the Ottoman--had collapsed. But as Keegan shows, the devastation ex-tended over the entirety of Europe, and still profoundly informs the politics and culture of the continent today. His brilliant, panoramic account of this vast and terrible conflict is destined to take its place among the classics of world history.
With 24 pages of photographs, 2 endpaper maps, and 15 maps in text

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Product details

Paperback: 528 pages
Publisher: Vintage (May 16, 2000)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0375700455
ISBN-13: 978-0375700453
Product Dimensions: 5.1 x 1 x 8 inches
Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
Customer Reviews: 373 customer reviews
Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #52,014 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #68 in World War I History (Books)
- #41 in Military History (Books)

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Customer reviews

373 customer reviews

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Leonard Madia

Not a good show

January 14, 2019

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

What I have is a good, well written history of WW1. It is obvious the author knows the subject matter and had done much research. From beginning to end, the author is faithful to the purpose, to inform the reader of the events concerning this terrible time in history. The problem is, all I of this it is much like most books in this field.

And that to me was the problem. The writer offered nothing of interest, nothing new, just a constant monologue. And, after a while the book became different to read. Soon it was boring.

I am sure the facts presented are accurate. And, the main participant’s words and actions care properly represented. But, I felt like I was reading a history book. And that’s how it went; on and on. Dates rolled on, battles fought, the tides of war turned, but the writer didn’t miss a beat.

And, this might not be bad. If you want a concise history of this period this will go fine. You will be properly informed.

But I have to warn you, don’t expect to be entertained.

20 people found this helpful

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Leroy G.

Was impressed by the concepts and details

June 26, 2017

Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase

I really enjoyed “The First World War” by John Keegan. For me it was slow reading and I was impressed by the concepts and details he gave. Yes, I skimmed over unit names. I saw a film on WWI and wanted more info on how it started. He filled in those details impressively. The author's theory is that after the assassination the Russian mobilization to defend their allies forced Germany to declare war. It was too risky not to.

He talked about what some of the counties experienced in previous wars. So, every country seemed to think it would last a few months with little risks and more territories to gain. He talked some about the large number of French generals fired after a few months of war. Were they all inept or did folks have too high of expectations on them?

He also talked about battle strategy of coordinating artillery and troops. How the battle strategy evolved, how the trench systems evolved, and the problems the commanders had of getting real time info. There are details about pre-war battle plans and how logistics drove them. Population unrest, food shortages, office politics of the generals.

I enjoyed the book and am gonna read more of his. Just ordered another one.

16 people found this helpful

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A terrible, tragic tale told by a master.

January 24, 2019

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

I wanted to absorb a comprehensive over view of WWI. I have read other of Keegan's work with benefit to me. But I found it hard going. I could only read about 25 pages at a sitting. Why? Because I could only absorb so much awful stuff at one go. I did meet my goal. I understand a very great deal of the war as a whole story, all the bits I had in my mind for years, now have a frame to organize them. I could give an example of his writing on almost any page but offer this as an example of the power and wisdom of his words---
"The legacy of the war's political outcome scarcely bears contemplation: Europe ruined as a center of world civilization, Christian kingdoms transformed through defeat into godless tyrannies, Bolshevik or Nazi, the superficial difference between their ideologies counting not at all in their cruelty to common and decent folk."

How many writers can write a sentence like that and have it not just make sense-hard enough-but to shift the heart and mind. Wow.

8 people found this helpful

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Pierre Haas

Forget what you thought you knew

August 10, 2018

Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase

Great, great book. Explains lots of things I thought I knew something about: the stumbling into the war, the mobile war of 1914 followed by the trench war, the massive asymmetry between offensive and defensive weapons that led to such massive losses of life, the interplay of politics and military strategy, the impact of personalities on the frontline, the importance of the US entry into the war, the collapse of the German army, when the soldiers just got fed up with death. At the end of 1914, the generals already knew that the war could not be won (by either side) without massive loss of life, and yet they wore on. Devastating in its portrayal of human gallantry and stupidity on a massive scale. You will never see one of those beautifully kept military cemeteries in France without feeling the sadness caused by such sacrifice and such mindless suffering.

8 people found this helpful

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The First World War