World War 1

DK

The Wold War 1 Book (2024) takes readers through the origins, major campaigns, and aftermath of the First World War, presenting more than 90 key events that shaped the conflict. It explains not only the frontline battles—from the trenches of France to the Eastern and colonial theatres—but also the political, social and technological forces behind the war. The book also reflects on how the war’s end and legacy—including the creation of the League of Nations—set the stage for the 20th century.

DK

Wold War 1, The Definitive Visual History (2024) offers a richly illustrated, panoramic overview of the First World War: it spans the conflict from the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria through the battles of the Somme and Verdun, to the signing of the Treaty of Versailles. The narrative integrates vivid photographic galleries of weapons, vehicles and equipment alongside personal accounts from soldiers and civilians, making the war’s vast human and technological dimensions accessible. 

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Turn of the Century and the Great War (2009) is a concise illustrated history book that spans the transition from the late 19th century into the outbreak of the First World War, covering major political, technological and social shifts. It presents how rising imperial tensions, military alliances and new weapons combined to set the stage for the global conflict. The book highlights the dramatic transformation of society — from industrial, cultural and geopolitical change — that made the “Great War” possible. 

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The somme heroism and horror in the first world war (2006) provides a vivid account of the Battle of the Somme, showing both the bravery of soldiers and the immense suffering caused by trench warfare. Gilbert details the planning and execution of the battle, analyzing the high casualties and the challenges faced by both British and German forces. Using letters, diaries, and official records, he brings the human dimension of the conflict to life. The book emphasizes both individual heroism and the overall horror of industrialized warfare.

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World War I, Life in the Trenches (2003) explores the daily experiences of soldiers on the Western Front, highlighting both the monotony and dangers of trench life. Currie describes the living conditions, including mud, rats, and constant threat of artillery, alongside the routines, camaraderie, and coping mechanisms soldiers developed. The book uses firsthand accounts, letters, and photographs to give a personal perspective on the hardships faced by ordinary soldiers. It balances the grim realities of war with stories of resilience and solidarity among troops.

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Trench Fighting of World War I (2004) provides a detailed examination of the tactics, strategies, and brutal realities of trench warfare during the First World War. Hamilton explains how soldiers lived, fought, and survived in the trenches, emphasizing the physical and psychological challenges they faced. The book combines military analysis with personal accounts to illustrate the deadly nature of assaults, artillery bombardments, and daily life on the front lines. It highlights both the discipline required and the human cost of this form of warfare.

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Battles of World War I (2004) rovides a comprehensive overview of the major engagements of the First World War, analyzing the strategies, tactics, and outcomes of key battles. Hamilton details both well-known and lesser-known conflicts, examining the roles of leadership, technology, and logistics in shaping the course of the war. The book combines operational analysis with accounts of soldiers’ experiences to show both the military and human dimensions of these battles. It emphasizes the scale, intensity, and consequences of the conflict across multiple fronts.

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The Treaty of Versailles (2001) examines the negotiations, terms, and consequences of the 1919 treaty that formally ended World War I. Slavicek analyzes the political motivations of the Allied powers, the compromises made, and the treaty’s impact on Germany and the postwar world. The book also explores how the treaty sowed the seeds of future conflicts by imposing harsh reparations and territorial losses. It provides both a diplomatic and historical perspective on one of the most consequential agreements of the 20th century.

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World War I, A History in Documents (2011) provides a chronological collection of primary sources that illuminate the political, military, and social aspects of the First World War. The book includes letters, speeches, diaries, government documents, and photographs, allowing readers to understand the war from multiple perspectives. It highlights the experiences of soldiers, civilians, and leaders, showing the human and strategic dimensions of the conflict. By focusing on original documents, the book emphasizes how the war was perceived, experienced, and remembered at the time.

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Assassination in Sarajevo (2001) explains how the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand in Sarajevo acted as the spark that ignited the wider crisis leading to World War I. The book traces the assassination event itself, outlines the web of alliances and nationalist tensions in the Balkans and Europe, describes Austria-Hungary’s ultimatum to Serbia and the cascade of declarations of war, and argues that this moment marks a major turning point in modern history.

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Female Tommies, The Frontline Women of the First World War (2014) explores how women from various nations served at or near the front lines during the First World War, using their diaries, letters and memoirs to bring out the stories of those who donned uniforms, and sometimes arms, and defied conventional gender roles. The book argues that the involvement of these women marks a significant shift in the demographics and perception of warfare and of women’s roles within it.

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The World Wars Through the Female Gaze (1998) analyses how women writers and photographers during the two world wars (1915-1945) — including Edith Wharton, Mildred Aldrich, Martha Gellhorn, Lee Miller, H.D. and Gertrude Stein — observed, depicted and represented war through a gendered “gaze”, examining how vision, war, gender and media intersect.

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The War to End All Wars, World War 1 (2010) covers how the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand in Sarajevo ignited the complex web of alliances and hostilities that led to World War I. It explores how modern weapons, trench warfare and mass mobilisations transformed warfare into a catastrophe on an unprecedented scale. It traces major battles, shifting fronts and empires collapsing under the strain of global conflict. Freedman argues that although it was called “the war to end all wars”, its conclusion in 1918 in fact planted the seeds for future conflicts.

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World War I and the Cultures of Modernity  (2000) brings together essays that examine how the First World War (1914-18) intersected with modern culture, literature, mass media and social norms. Rather than treating the war simply as the radical rupture that created “modernity”, the contributors argue it was also deeply rooted in pre-war cultural formations—including mass culture, literary trends, and public morality. Ultimately, the volume challenges the old assumption that the Great War was solely the origin of modernity, showing instead that the modern world was already emerging and was reshaped by the war’s cultural moments.