A Short History of the Great War

The work traces the origins, conduct, and outcome of the 1914–1918 conflict, beginning with the diplomatic crisis that precipitated war and following the rapid mobilisations, invasions, and the establishment of stalemated Western trenches. It surveys campaigns on multiple fronts, naval operations, and Russia's early intervention and subsequent collapse, assesses major offensives and counter-offensives through successive winters, and describes political reactions and the shifting balance of power. Attention is given to the impact of mass mobilisation and new technologies, and to the diplomatic negotiations and settlements that concluded the struggle, with maps and chronological chapters framing strategic and human dimensions.