Providing a new interpretation of the origins of the first world war, this textbook synthesises recent scholarship and introduces the major historiographical and political debates surrounding the outbreak of the war. Fighting the first world war by william philpott overlook, 2014. The historiography of the origins of the first world war. Examining the strategic and political problems that confronted each of the great powers and the way in which social and economic factors influenced the decisionmaking process, martel discusses the position of each power and their place in the system of alliances which dominated international politics. World war i also known as the first world war or the great war, was a global war originating in. Instead, while placing greater emphasis than before on the role of russia, zara s. Which is the best book to read on the origins of the first world war. He explores the roles of imperialism, european strategic alliances, rising military capability, the influence of public opinion on foreign policy and the impact of the global economic climate on policy and politics. Both sides quickly published collections of diplomatic correspondence purporting to show that the blame for the war lay elsewhere. Jan 29, 2014 annika mombauer is senior lecturer in modern history at the open university, milton keynes. The first world war as political tragedy 2005 and with our backs to the wall. As martel discusses the various beliefs and actions of the major european powers, he refers to a collection of original documents in the back of the book. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. William mulligan argues that the war was a far from inevitable outcome of international politics in the early twentieth century and suggests instead that there were.
Buy the origins of the first world war longman history in depth by graham darby isbn. The origins of the first world war are a particularly telling example of the connection between history writing and contemporary political concerns, in which the past is. Mar 04, 2010 providing a new interpretation of the origins of the first world war, this textbook synthesises recent scholarship and introduces the major historiographical and political debates surrounding the outbreak of the war. The british blue book, for example, argued that britain. The main significance for the first world war was that this war made it clear that no great. Fay, sidney, the origins of the world war 1929 this book was written in the immediate aftermath of the war. Some of the distant origins of world war i can be seen in the results and consequences of the francoprussian war in 18701871 and the concurrent unification of germany. The origins of the first world war james joll, stevenson. The origins of the first world war summarises and analyses the policies, issues and crises that brought europe to war in 1914.
You need to know a lot about 19th century european history to understand how the first world war could happen, and this book takes that approach, providing. The origins of the first world war origins of modern wars. This work poses a straightforward yet at the same time perplexing question about world war i. The debate on the origins of world war one the british library. Origins of the first world war summarizes the policies, issues and crises that brought europe to war in 1914. Five books on world war i military history, memoir, and even a novelized series make this list of cantmiss books about the great war. To understand the longterm origins of the war in 1914, it is essential to understand how the. Origins of the war first world war overview nzhistory. Anika mombauer is an authority on the origins and opening phases of the first world war. France reacted to the prospect of a russogerman war by mobilising its own forces.
This third edition includes a new introduction, a chronology of the key. It is an ambitious and wideranging analysis of the historical forces at work in the europe of 1914, and the very different ways in which historians have subsequently attempted to understand them. Remembering world war i with 10 astounding books barnes. The war to end all wars, peter simkins, geoffrey jukes and michael hickey. The origins of the second world war is a nonfiction book by the english historian a. As richard hamilton and holger herwig remark in the introduction to their edited collection of essays on the origins of the first world war, thousands of books and countless articles have been written on the subject, a veritable flood that began with the outbreak of the conflict in 1914 and continues to this day. This pamphlet focuses on the major issues involved. Gordon martels origins of the first world war examines the many crises, diplomatic struggles, alliances, and war plans that contributed to the outbreak of war in 1914. Dr william mulligan ucd explores the complex origins of the first world war, which was the product of a series of international crises. Sidney fay, the origins of the world war, vol 1, preface since the publication of the first edition nearly two years ago, the stream of new documentary material on the origins of the war has continued to flow very freely. Examining the strategic and political problems that confronted each of the great powers and the way in which social and economic factors influenced the decisionmaking process, martel discusses the position of each power and their place. The debate on the origins of world war one the british. Germany had won decisively and established a powerful empire, while france fell into chaos and military decline for years.
The origins of the first world war william mulligan. An annotated bibliography books in the main reading room reference collection. Publisher the macmillan company collection statelibrarypennsylvania. There is an enormous literature on the origins of the first world war. The catastrophe of the first world war, and the destruction, revolution, and enduring hostilities it wrought, make the issue of its origins a. Covers the fighting above ground and the massive mining campaign that went on under the front. B lieven, russia and the origins of the first world war 1983. In the first battle of world war i, the germans assaulted the heavily fortified city of liege, using the most. Topics world war, 19141918 causes, europe politics and government 18711918. A first world war family history, and is based on the experiences of three brothers who fought on the western front. The position of each of the great powers is clearly explained, including their place in the system of alliances that dominated international politics. The origins of the first world war ruth beatrice henig. R berghahn, germany and the approach of war in 1914 2nd ed. Discover librarianselected research resources on world war i causes from the questia online library, including fulltext online books, academic journals, magazines, newspapers and more.
The first world war still pervades our imagination. The origins of the first world war is a highly readable and enlightening tour of the world in mid1914. The origins of the first world war is a concise introduction to one of the major historical controversies. World war i began in 1914, after the assassination of archduke franz ferdinand, and lasted until 1918. The publishing of the book the influence of sea power upon history by alfred thayer mahan in 1890 was intended to encourage the united. The memoir has been called the bestknown book of a womans world war i experience, and is a significant work for the feminist movement and the development of. Annika mombauer tracks the impassioned debates as they developed at critical points through the twentieth century. Excellent singlevolume history of the first world war, focusing on the land battles on the western, eastern and italian fronts and the war against the ottoman empire. The argument of the alliance systems is inadequate, lacking relevance or compelling force. This short books tours one of the darkest and deadliest periods in modern history first world war i. Reexamines the causes and lingering effects of the war, drawing on experiences of frontline soldiers, munitions workers, politicians and diplomats, and shows how u. First, from the outset, political concerns shaped the debate, though these preoccupations have become less significant as the war.
Controversies and consensus making history 1 by annika mombauer isbn. The origins of the first world war 3rd edition by ruth. Published in 1929, when he was in his early thirties, graves famously candid autobiography includes a harrowing account of his experiences with trench warfare in france during the first world war. It all started as a diplomatic feud brought on by the. The 10 best books about war from the letters of an early 19thcentury rifleman to a housewifes account of the second world war, max hastings, military historian and ex war. William mulligan argues that the war was a farfrominevitable. Victory and defeat in 1918 2011 cataclysm is the best onevolume history of the war ive read. A concise introduction to one of the major historical controversies, this pamphlet surveys the roots of wwi. Ruth b henig a concise introduction to one of the major historical controversies, this pamphlet surveys the roots of wwi. The origins of the first world war by joll abebooks. The origins of the first world war are a particularly telling example of the connection between history writing and contemporary political concerns, in which the past is viewed through the lens of the present, and vice versa. It starts with the actions of bismarck in 1871 and covers all the conflicts in europe that resulted in the war declararions of european countries in auguest 1914.
The war started when serbia, austriahungary, russia, and germany decided that war or the risk of war was an acceptable policy option. Temperley have pushed forward with energy their admirable collection of. This book is thick, 601 pages in paperback form excluding bibliography, footnotes and index but the condensation into 601 pages of the first world war, its origins, its aftermath and its consequences right up to the present would appear to require a feat of. Even in california, i grew up with images of the trenches and of barbed wire strung across muddy fields. Traces the fighting that took part on the givenchy sector of the western front during the first world war, following the village through the major battles of 191415 and 1918 and the quieter spells of 191617. An illustrated history penguin books new impression by a j p taylor isbn. The origins of the first world war new approaches to. Origins of the first world war the national archives. This collection of documents will be useful to specialists in diplomatic and military history of the first world war period, as well as instructors and students who seek convenient access to a crosssection of primary material on the origins of first world war. This 3rd edition includes a new introduction, a chronology of the key events and an update on the historical debate explaining the directions in which the historiography is heading. The russian origins of the first world war sean mcmeekin. I survey the historiography of the origins of the war in my node in world war i.
This book is a unique collection of diplomatic and military documents for the years leading up to the outbreak of the first world war. Annika mombauer is senior lecturer in modern history at the open university, milton keynes. Joll doesnt come at you from any particular political perspective and grants you access to all the arguments for the conflict. James jolls study is not simply another narrative, retracing the powder trail that was finally ignited at sarajevo. Britain and the origins of the first world war by zara s. Jun 05, 1999 keegans history of the first world war opens, unexpectedly, by talking about adolf hitler, and what i liked about this book was the way it presented 191418 as just the opening convulsions in a longer twentiethcentury cataclysm to which it remains intimately connected. Start by marking britain and the origins of the first world war making of the twentieth century as want to read. Martel explains the position of each of the great powers, and their place in the system of alliances that dominated international politics. Tony bradmans top 10 books about the first world war. Five books on world war i history smithsonian magazine. The arguments of mass demands, those focusing on nationalism, militarism and social darwinism, it is argued, are.
So first on your list is a book by michael howard, the first world war 2003, which is a very nice, readable introduction to world war i. This is a good english language book on the other side of the war. Nov 30, 2016 the historiography of the origins of the first world war by william mulligan the debate about the origins of the war remains a vibrant area of historical research. The origins of the first world war by william mulligan. Controversies and consensus the seminal event of the 20th century, the origins of the first world war have always been difficult to establish and have aroused. I did not know anything about the first ww and i am glad i started with this book. The seminal event of the 20th century, the origins of the first world war have always been difficult to establish and have aroused deep controversy. Embed embed for hosted blogs and item on the net authentic history world war 1 overview origins of the war imperialism one of the main causes of the first world war was imperialism. The subject is getting more attention now, but this book was previously hailed as the best. The bloodshed on the battlefields of the western front, and the difficulties its soldiers had for years after the fighting had ended, inspired such works of art as.
Controversies and consensus making history 1 by mombauer, annika isbn. Williamson, austriahungary and the origins of the first world war 1991 d. The second edition of this leading introduction to the origins of the first world war. Which is the best book on the causes of the first world war. Buy the origins of the first world war origins of modern wars 3 by joll, james, martel, gordon isbn. Updated to take account of the latest debates around the war s origins and outbreak, this is an essential classroom text which significantly revises our understanding of diplomacy, political culture, and economic history from 1870 to 1914. List of books and articles about world war i causes. Historiography of the causes of world war i wikipedia. It brings together newlydiscovered documents as well as many not previously available in english, drawn from a broad range of sources and countries. Paul fussell felt a kinship to soldiers of the first. The 17 best books on world war i of 2020 thoughtco. The history of the great war based on official documents by direction of the committee of imperial defence abbreviated to history of the great war or british official history is a series of 109 volumes, concerning the war effort of the british state during the first world war.
William mulligan argues that the war was a far from inevitable. Austriahungary, the origins, and the first year of. Britain and the origins of the first world war book. European tribal nationalism may also be of interest for an understanding of panslav and neoslav ideology, as well as their teutonic equivelents many, many books have been written with the title of this node.
Origins of the first world war summarizes and analyses the policies, issues and crises that brought europe to war in 1914. The origins of world war i world war i began in eastern europe. Germany declared war on russia on 1 august and on france two days later. The debate on the origins of the first world war started almost as soon as the conflict broke out in august 1914. Professor joll has reworked the text to take account of the research which has appeared in the seven years since the book first appeared. James jolls study is an analysis of the historical forces at work in the europe of 1914 and the very different way in which historians view them. Mar 22, 2002 buy the origins of the first world war. It gives you a good sense of the whole war, including the peace settlement at versailles. It is a two volume work, the first dealing with the underlying causes of the war, which were nationalism and a fundamentally unstable international system. The origins of the first world war longman history in. World wars numberof war dates greatpowers countriesa severityb intensityc grandalliance 168997 5 abfns 680 6,939 spanishsuccession 170114 5 abfns 1,251 12,490 austrian 174048 6 abfprs 359 3,379 succession sevenyearswar 175663 6 abfprs 992 9,118 french 17921802 5 abfpr 663 5,816 revolutionary wars napoleonicwars 180315 5. The origins of the first world war providing a new interpretation of the origins of the first world war, this textbook synthesises recent scholarship and introduces the major historiographical and political debates surrounding the outbreak of the war. Sep 06, 2003 annotation this work provides concise introduction to one of the major historical controversies of our time. In the aftermath of the balkan wars of i912i3, the decisionmakers in eastern europe acted more assertively and less.
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