The crucified christ was an appropriate symbol for millions of young men who diedtoo often anonymouslyon battlefields throughout the world between 1914 and 1918, writes historian john keegan in his ambitious onevolume overview the first world war alfred a. John keegan is the defence editor of the daily telegraph and britains foremost military historian. It was a struggle of unprecedented ferocity that ended the rational, liberal culture that had prevailed in europe since the enlightenment, swept away the great european empires, and unleashed the demons mechanized warfare, mass death, totalitarian politics that have made the twentieth century the bloodiest. The first world war by john keegan, paperback barnes.
The first world war by john keegan 1999, hardcover for. John keegan s the first world war was everywhere praised, and became the definitive account of the war that created the modern world. August 2012 in kilmington, wiltshire, war ein britischer militarhistoriker. 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. John laffin, panorama of the western front, sutton publishing 1993.
Keegan s great strength is his ability to create a compelling narrative of a complex conflict, allowing the reader to gain a clearer understanding of what happened, and why. In this magesterial history and national bestseller, john keegan shares his original and perceptive insights into the psychology, ideology, demographics, and economics of the american civil war. Unnecessary because the train of events that led to its outbreak might have been broken at any point during the five weeks of crisis that preceded the first clash of arms, had prudence or common goodwill found a voice. Complete summary of john keegans the first world war. The first world war by sir john keegan, 9780375700453, available at book. Unlike the epic histories for which he is best known, keegan the first world war, 1999, etc. The first world war by john keegan 1998, hardcover for sale. About the author john keegan is the defence editor of the daily telegraph and britains foremost military historian. Jun 05, 1999 author john keegan gives the impression late in this very good book that he held the kaiser partially responsible for the great war as he embarked on a pointless attempt to match britains maritime strength that. In a riveting narrative that puts diaries, letters and action reports to good use, british military historian keegan the face of battle, etc. The definitive account of the great war and a national bestseller from eminent military historian john keegan 2018 marks the centenary of the first world war the war that created the modern world. John keegan was for many years senior lecturer in military history at the royal military academy, sandhurst, and has been a fellow at princeton university and a. The definitive account of the great war and national bestseller from one of our most eminent military historians, john keegan. Sir john desmond patrick keegan obe frsl 15 may 1934 2 august 2012 was an english.
Cohen wrote, despite some graceful writing and pointed observations, a history of warfare fails to live up to the titles promise or the authors reputation. The greatest military historian of our time gives a peerless account of americas most bloody, wrenching, and eternally fascinating war. Author john keegan gives the impression late in this very good book that he held the kaiser partially responsible for the great war as he embarked on a pointless attempt to match britains maritime strength that. The first world war john keegan national library of. The first world war by john keegan is a wonderful overview of the first world war, its cause and its effect. Yet, though his medium is different, he speaks in the same assured voice, with. Sir john desmond patrick keegan obe frsl 15 may 1934 2 august 2012 was an english military historian, lecturer, writer and journalist. He was the defense editor of the more about john keegan.
The first world war john keegan pimlico london 1999. John keegan s books include the iraq war, intelligence in war, the first world war, the battle for history, the face of battle, war and our world, the masks of command, fields of battle, and a history of warfare. Each facet is examined, military, political and personal. A conflict of unparalleled ferocity, it broke the century of relative peace we associate with the victorian era, and unleashed the demons of the 20th century. For me it was slow reading and i was impressed by the concepts and details he gave. I really enjoyed the first world war by john keegan. The first world war 9780375400520 by keegan, john and a great selection of similar new, used and collectible books available now at great prices. Whether youve loved the book or not, if you give your honest and detailed thoughts then people will find new books that are right for them. John keegans books include the iraq war, intelligence in war, the first world war, the battle for history, the face of battle, war and our world, the masks of command, fields of battle, and a history of warfare. It also helped to usher in the ideas that have shaped our timesmodernism in the arts, new approaches to psychology and medicine, radical. Author john keegan has crafted a thorough exposition of all fronts, eastern, western, gallipoli, colonial and maritime.
He is the defense editor of the daily telegraph london. John keegans the first world war is already established as the classic, single volume history of the conflict. Cohen described it as a vendetta against a liberal german soldier. The publisher has supplied this book in drm free form with. A conflict of unprecedented ferocity, it abruptly ended the relative peace and prosperity of the victorian era. It also helped to usher in the ideas that have shaped ou. John keegan the first world war created the modern world. I can say that imho this is the best singlevolume military history of the first world war. He wrote many published works on the nature of combat between prehistory and the 21st century, covering land, air, maritime, intelligence warfare and the psychology of battle. I saw a film on wwi and wanted more info on how it started. I picked up the first world war in hopes of finding a good one volume work on the war. The first world war audiobook written by john keegan. Worse are the maps which tend to confuse more than explain. Cohen described it as a vendetta against a liberal german soldiertheorist of the early nineteenth century clausewitz.
Publication date 1999 topics world war, 19141918 publisher a. A conflict of unprecedented ferocity, it abruptly ended the relative peace and prosperity of the victorian era, unleashing such demons of the twentieth. Keegans great strength is his ability to create a compelling narrative of a complex conflict, allowing the reader to gain a clearer understanding of what happened, and why. John keegans the first world war was everywhere praised, and became the definitive account of the war that created the modern world. It destroyed a century of relative peace and prosperity and saw a continent at the. 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. 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.
Fiftyone years after world war ii officially ended, historians still struggle to define it. The first world war was a tragic and unnecessary conflict. June 5, 1999 in this sterling account of the tragic and unnecessary conflict that inaugurated a century of horror, british military historian keegan fields of battle. The reith lecturer in 1998, he is the author of many bestselling books including the face of battle, six armies in normandy, battle at sea, the second world war, the mask of command, warpaths, the battle for history, the first world war, and most recently, intelligence in war. Much of the book is devoted to troop movements and the resulting battles and is hard to follow. 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.
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 europes crowned. The first world war by john keegan 1998, hardcover for. The shattering effects of the war to end all wars have been depicted unforgettably by novelists and. An illustrated history of the first world war alfred a. Short, graceful ruminations from one of our greatest military historians on the ugliest of topics. Nov 21, 2012 john keegan s books include the iraq war, intelligence in war, the first world war, the battle for history, the face of battle, war and our world, the masks of command, fields of battle, and a history of warfare. In this sterling account of the tragic and unnecessary conflict that inaugurated a century of horror, british military historian keegan fields of battle. Best military history of first world war as of 2019, i own 40x books on the great war aka ww1. Jan 30, 2014 john keegan is the defence editor of the daily telegraph and britains foremost military historian. Warpaths, the battle for history, the first world war, and. Buy the second world war by john keegan online at alibris.
More than 50 years have passed since the surrenders of germany and japan brought an end to world war ii, but that conflictis still steeped in controversy. It also helped to usher in the ideas that have shaped our timesmodernism in the arts, new approaches to psychology and medicine, radical thoughts. The reith lecturer in 1998, he is the author of many bestselling books including the face of battle, six armies in normandy, battle at sea, the second world war, a history of warfare awarded the duff cooper prize, warpaths, the battle for history, the first world war, and most recently. May 16, 2000 the first world war created the modern world. Other readers will always be interested in your opinion of the books youve read. One of the more recent books to provide a good overview of the entire war. The first world war, a cataclysm that left ten million dead, created the modern world. It destroyed a century of relative peace and prosperity and saw a continent at the height of its success descend into slaughter. The first world war 9780091801786 by keegan, john and a great selection of similar new, used and collectible books available now at great prices. Jun, 2000 i picked up the first world war in hopes of finding a good one volume work on the war.
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