Trench: A History of Trench Warfare on the Western Front

by Stephen Bull

Overview

The First World War was one of the costliest conflicts in history, much of it fought over a narrow and bloody swathe of France and Flanders. At the outbreak of war, it was anticipated that conventional battle would bring a quick resolution, but four years later, strategy, tactics and the material of war had changed almost beyond recognition. For most of that time, the two sides had been locked in the stalemate of trench warfare, a battle conducted along a Western Front of over 400 miles, in which almost 3 million men were killed.

In this anniversary edition, World War I trench expert Stephen Bull provides a complete picture of trench warfare on the Western Front, from the construction of the trenches and their different types.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781472801326
Publisher:	Bloomsbury USA
Publication date:	05/20/2014
Series:	General Military
Pages:	272
Sales rank:	373,433
Product dimensions:	7.40(w) x 9.40(h) x 0.90(d)

About the Author

Dr. Stephen Bull is Curator of Military History and Archaeology for Lancashire Museums, with particular responsibility for local regimental collections. Currently he is engaged in the redisplay of the Museum of Lancashire, including a new gallery on World War I. He has previously worked at the National Army Museum and BBC in London. A Member of the Institute of Archaeologists, he has also appeared in the TV series Battlefield Detectives. He has written numerous articles for specialist journals, including a number on the weapons and tactics of World War I. His other books include six Osprey titles, two on World War I, and four on World War II. The author lives in Preston, UK.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments
Introduction
Western Front Chronology
The Armies of 1914 and the Problem of Attack
The Beginning of the Trenches
'Trenchtown'
New Weapons and Tactics
Gas
Raiding and Sniping
Mining
Concrete and Stellungsbau
The Tank
'Over the Top'
Conclusion
Notes
Select Bibliography
Index

Editorial Reviews

Military collections will find this specific and key.” —The Midwest Book Review

“In this book on the trench, author Stephen Bull relies on four previous Osprey editions to help provide not only some material, but also images and artwork to help illustrate this volume. But this isn't just a rehash of those previous works as most of what is written is new to this volume ... It is a truly engrossing book that pulls in the reader with its narrative and personal stories.” —Scott Van Aken, Modeling Madness

“If the Great War centenary inspires new projects by any TS&MF readers, I highly recommend Dr. Stephen Bull's new book as a great reference. Trench: A History of Trench Warfare on the Western Front is a 272-page paperback packed with well-written information, photos in both color and black and white, and maps. Bull lays out the big picture while providing telling insights from the individual soldier's-eye-view of the scarred landscape. This terrific book is a moving reminder of why WWI was one of the most apocalyptic chapters in the history of mankind.” —Toy Soldier and Model Figure

From the Publisher