World War One: The Global Revolution

by Lawrence Sondhaus

Overview

World War One was the cause, catalyst, trigger and accelerator of revolutionary change on an unprecedented scale. This is an indispensable new introduction to the global history of the conflict and its revolutionary consequences from the war's origins to the making of peace and across all of its theatres, including the home fronts and the war at sea. Lawrence Sondhaus sets out a new framework for understanding key themes such as the war aims which inspired the belligerents, the technological developments that made the war so deadly for those in uniform, and the revolutionary pressures that led to the collapse of the Romanov, Habsburg and Ottoman empires. He also highlights the war's transformative effects on societal norms and attitudes, gender and labour relations, and international trade and finance. The accessible narrative is supported by chronologies, personal accounts, guides to key controversies and debates, and numerous maps and photographs.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780521736268
Publisher:	Cambridge University Press
Publication date:	03/31/2011
Pages:	560
Product dimensions:	6.90(w) x 9.70(h) x 1.00(d)

About the Author

Lawrence Sondhaus is Professor of History at the University of Indianapolis, where he is Director of the Institute for the Study of War and Diplomacy. His previous publications include Franz Conrad von Hötzendorf: Architect of the Apocalypse (2000), Naval Warfare, 1815-1914 (2001), and Strategic Culture and Ways of War (2006).

Table of Contents

Introduction; 1. The world in 1914 and the origins of the war; 2. The July Crisis, 1914; 3. The European war unfolds, August-December 1914; 4. The world war: east Asia, the Pacific, Africa; 5. The deepening stalemate: Europe, 1915; Essay chapter 1. Daily life in Anzac Cove; 6. The home fronts (1914-1916); Essay chapter 2. The trenches and trench warfare; 7. Raising the stakes: Europe, 1916; Essay chapter 3. With Lenin aboard the 'sealed train'; 8. Upheaval and uncertainty: Europe, 1917; 9. The war at sea (1915-1918); Essay chapter 4. Daily life aboard a U-boat; 10. The US enters the war; 11. The home fronts (1916-1918); 12. The world war: the Middle East and India; Essay chapter 5. The legacy of the trenches: mind, body, spirit; 13. Endgame: Europe, 1918; 14. The Paris peace conference; 15. Legacy; Conclusion.

Editorial Reviews

'The book is beautifully produced and presented … Maps and illustrations are expertly annotated and placed where they belong in the book. Cambridge [University Press] can be well proud of this superb book. It deserves to be widely used on college courses on the Great War.' Holger Herwig, Journal of Military History

'Comparative histories of the First World War are still rare, which in itself makes Lawrence Sondhaus’ foray into this field welcome.' John Gooch, European History Quarterly

'… this survey of the Great War is masterful.' James D. Scudieri, Parameters: The US Army War College Quarterly

'Sondhaus has packed a lot into his pages, and his text deserves a prominent place on reading lists for First World War and general twentieth-century history courses.' William Philpott, Diplomacy & Statecraft

'An excellent political and strategic overview of World War I … has given us a very broad look at the origins, events, and consequences of the war, setting it more firmly into its global context than has hitherto been the case. [Sondhaus'] approach to presenting the story of the war is rather innovative and very valuable.' A. A. Nofi, strategypage.com

From the Publisher