The First World War: The Western Front 1914-1916

✍ Scribed by Peter Simkins

• Publisher: Routledge
• Year: 2003
• Tongue: English
• Leaves: 85
• Series: Essential Histories
• Edition: Hardback Ed
• Category: Library

✦ Synopsis

More than eight decades later, the Great War - particularly the great battles such as the Somme and Verdun - continues to fascinate us and cast long shadows over our world today. In this volume, Peter Simkins re-examines the early years of the war's Western Front, shedding interesting new light on the nature, course, and effects of the fighting in France and Belgium from 1914 to 1916.

✦ Table of Contents

Book Cover......Page 1
Half-Title......Page 2
Title......Page 3
Copyright......Page 4
Contents......Page 5
Introduction......Page 6
Chronology......Page 8
Background to war......Page 10
Warring sides......Page 14
Outbreak......Page 19
The invasion of Belgium......Page 21
Battle of the Frontiers......Page 22
The Battle of Mons......Page 23
Allied retreat......Page 24
The Marne Miracle......Page 25
Deadlock......Page 27
Race to the sea......Page 28
Antwerp falls......Page 30
The first battle of Ypres......Page 31
The Winter of 1914–1915......Page 32
Neuve Chapelle......Page 36
The second battle of Ypres......Page 38
Artois and Flanders......Page 41
Allied plans for the autumn......Page 42
The second battle of Champagne......Page 44
Loos......Page 45
Haig takes command of the BEF......Page 47
Attrition in the ascendant......Page 49
Attack at Verdun......Page 50
Fort Douaumont is captured......Page 51
Spring and summer fighting at Verdun......Page 53
The French counterstroke......Page 55
Preparing for the Somme......Page 56
The bloody first day......Page 60
Summer on the Somme......Page 61
Enter the tank......Page 65
The reckoning......Page 67
Portrait of a soldier......Page 72
Germany......Page 74
Britain......Page 75
Portrait of a civilian......Page 77
How the period ended......Page 79
Further reading......Page 80
Index......Page 81