What is everyone reading on the First World War

[Ken S.]

Hitler's First War by Thomas Weber

[Attrition]

'Liaison 1914', Edward Spears has a ringside seat as the BEF liaison officer with Lanrezac's Fifth army. The BEF and 5th army are legging it to the Aisne with a view to retiring behind the Marne and Kitchener is on the way to stiffen French's backbone.

[Attrition]

'Liaison 1914', Edward Spears has a ringside seat as the BEF liaison officer with Lanrezac's Fifth army. The BEF and 5th army are legging it to the Aisne with a view to retiring behind the Marne and Kitchener is on the way to stiffen French's backbone.

Faintly disappointing read I'm afraid. For a book of fluent prose on a subject full of excitement, dramatic reversals of fortune and grandeur I found it far too easy to put down.

[Attrition]

Education Before Verdun by Arnold Zweig. At last a second-hand copy at a decent price.

[mars]

"Finding the Lost Battalion: Beyond the Rumors, Myths and Legends of America's Famous WW1 Epic" by Robert Laplander ? I read a lot of WWI, this is among the best, this is mostly almost hour-by-hour, blow-by-blow description of the famous saga of the lost battalion, mostly from American perspective, but author also did a thorough research on the German side of story, usually down to the company level.

[V67]

Finished The Kaiser's Battle by Martin Middlebrook and The German 1918 Offensives: A Case Study in The Operational Level of War by David Zabecki.

Middlebrook's book is similar to his First Day On The Somme in that it describes the fighting on the first day of the great German spring offensives and has many first hand accounts.

Zabecki's book is an operational analysis of the same subject. Like any operational history it can be quite dry at times especially when describing troop movements and plans, but his analysis and conclusions are well written and excellent.

[Imad]

The Battle for Vimy Ridge - 1917 by Jack Sheldon and Nigel Cave

This book is part of the 'Battleground' series.

[Attrition]

The bits of OH 1917 II on the various plans for a Flanders operation and the Canadian translation of Der Weltkrieg (1915) for the bits on Flanders. For some light relief I've also dug out my copy of Liddell-Hart's History of the Great War, it's so old that it doesn't have my name in it.

[Imad]

For some light relief I've also dug out my copy of Liddell-Hart's History of the Great War

How is that book Attrition? Worth a read?

[Attrition]

I haven't opened it since the 1970s; I'lllet you know....

[Attrition]

I haven't opened it since the 1970s; I'll let you know....

I had a look at his exposition of 3rd Ypres and was pleasantly surprised. His description was OK and his explanation wasn't all wrong, although 'Gough's optimism' was much in evidence.

Having been looking again at the development of British plans for a Flanders gig 1914-1917 I can't help wondering if Gough's arrangements for a possibe German collapse on the first day were only incrementally different from the Rawlinson-Plumer versions that Haig had rejected in the light of his changed expectations, once Joffre and his conservation intention got the push, in favour of Nivelle's 'decisive battle' plan.

[Imad]

I haven't opened it since the 1970s; I'll let you know....

I had a look at his exposition of 3rd Ypres and was pleasantly surprised. His description was OK and his explanation wasn't all wrong, although 'Gough's optimism' was much in evidence.

Having been looking again at the development of British plans for a Flanders gig 1914-1917 I can't help wondering if Gough's arrangements for a possibe German collapse on the first day were only incrementally different from the Rawlinson-Plumer versions that Haig had rejected in the light of his changed expectations, once Joffre and his conservation intention got the push, in favour of Nivelle's 'decisive battle' plan.

Any platitudes on "rapid exploitation" and "expanding torrents"?

I'd expect to find something like that in his treatment of von Hutier's tactics.

[Attrition]

There's a remark about the 'indirect approach' on p. 396 apropos the March Offensive. Bruchmuller gets a credit on p. 389 but there's no hutier in the index. He seems much more interested in using the Germans as a contrast to the British. The Germans opt for surprise, silent registration and infiltration. Hart also seems to be in Lloyd George's pocket over his attempts to bridle Haig in late 1917. Although I disagree with his judgement of British strategy after the Nivelle Offensive he at least makes no bones about it, unlike a few contemporary historians who seem intent on hedging their bets.

[V67]

The Defeat Of Imperial Germany, 1917-1918 by Rod Paschall

The Second Battle of the Marne by Michael S. Neiberg


Enjoyed both books, Neiberg's especially.

[Imad]

Ardennes 1914 - The Battle of the Frontiers by Terence Zuber

Superb, just superb. No other words for it.