Table of Contents
List of Illustrations ix
List of Maps xiii
Introduction xvii
1914 Chronology xxiii
The Organisation of Armies in 1914 xxv
Prologue: Sarajevo xxvii
1 'A Feeling That Events Are in the Air' 1
1 Change and Decay 1
2 Battle Plans 25
2 The Descent to War 41
1 The Austrians Threaten 41
2 The Russians React 54
3 The Germans March 75
4 The British Decide 85
3 'The Superb Spectacle of the World Bursting into Flames' 103
1 Migrations 103
2 Passions 110
3 Departures 126
4 Disaster on the Drina 138
5 Death with Flags and Trumpets 159
1 The Execution of Plan XVII 159
2 'German Beastliness' 187
3 Lanrezac Encounters Schlieffen 194
6 The British Fight 200
1 Mons 200
2 Le Cateau: 'Where the Fun Comes in, I Don't Know' 219
7 The Retreat 239
8 Tannenberg: 'Alas, How Many Thousands Lie There Bleeding!' 259
9 The Hour of Joffre 286
1 Paris at Bay 286
2 Sir John Despairs 290
3 Seeds of Hope 298
10 The Nemesis of Moltke 313
1 The Marne 313
2 'Stalemate in Our Favour 342
11 'Poor Devils, They Fought Their Ships Like Men' 356
12 Three Armies in Poland 386
13 'Did You Ever Dance with Him?' 411
1 Home Fronts 411
2 News and Abuse 434
14 Open Country, Open Sky 442
1 Churchill's Adventure 442
2 'Inventions of the Devil' 455
15 Ypres: 'Something That Was Completely Hopeless' 463
16 'War Becomes the Scourge of Mankind' 497
1 Poland 497
2 The Serbs' Last Triumph 509
17 Mudlife 515
18 Silent Night, Holy Night 541
Acknowledgements 565
Notes and References 567
Bibliography 595
Index 605