The Greater War: Other Combatants and Other Fronts, 1914-1918 (Studies in Military and Strategic History)

The Greater War is an international history of the First World War. Comprising of thirteen chapters this collection of essays covers new aspects of the French, German, Italian and American efforts in the First World War, as well as aspects of Britain's colonial campaigns. Front Matter....Pages i-xiii Introduction....Pages 1-6 The Battle of the Ardennes, August 1914: France’s Lost Opportunity....Pages 7-25 ‘Only Inaction Is Disgraceful’: French Operations Under Joffre, 1914–1916....Pages 26-45 The Influence of Industry on the Use and Development of Artillery....Pages 46-63 Missed Opportunity? The French Tanks in the Nivelle Offensive....Pages 64-81 Applying Colonial Lessons to European War: The British Expeditionary Force 1902–1914....Pages 82-100 Jan Smuts, Paul von Lettow-Vorbeck and the Great War in German East Africa....Pages 101-122 The Egyptian Expeditionary Force and the Battles for Jerusalem: Command and Tactics in the Judaean Hills, November–December 1917....Pages 123-140 A Picture of German Unity? Federal Contingents in the German Army, 1916–1917....Pages 141-160 Out of the Trenches: Hitler, Wagner and German National Regeneration After the Great War 1914–1918....Pages 161-176 Training, Morale and Battlefield Performance in the Italian Army, 1914–1917....Pages 177-194 Seasoning the US 2nd Infantry Division....Pages 195-216 From the Essex to the Dresden: British Grand Strategy in the South Pacific, 1814–1915....Pages 217-234 Attrition: How the War Was Fought and Won....Pages 235-254 Back Matter....Pages 255-260 Cover 1 Series 2 Title 4 Copyright 5 Dedication 6 Contents 8 List of Tables 10 Acknowledgements 11 Notes on Contributors 12 Introduction 15 1 The Battle of the Ardennes, August 1914: France’s Lost Opportunity 21 2 ‘Only Inaction Is Disgraceful’: French Operations Under Joffre, 1914–1916 40 3 The Influence of Industry on the Use and Development of Artillery 60 4 Missed Opportunity? The French Tanks in the Nivelle Offensive 78 5 Applying Colonial Lessons to European War: The British Expeditionary Force 1902–1914 96 6 Jan Smuts, Paul von Lettow-Vorbeck and the Great War in German East Africa 115 7 The Egyptian Expeditionary Force and the Battles for Jerusalem: Command and Tactics in the Judaean Hills ,November–December 1917 137 8 A Picture of German Unity? Federal Contingents in the German Army, 1916–1917 155 9 Out of the Trenches: Hitler, Wagner and German National Regeneration After the Great War 1914–1918 175 10 Training, Morale and Battlefield Performance in the Italian Army, 1914–1917 191 11 Seasoning the US 2nd Infantry Division 209 12 From the Essex to the Dresden: British Grand Strategy in the South Pacific, 1814–1915 231 13 Attrition: How the War Was Fought and Won 249 Select Bibliography 269 Index 271 In the English-speaking world the literature of the First World War is overwhelmingly preoccupied with the efforts of the British Army on the Western Front. "The Greater War" breaks out of this mould by offering a broad-ranging, international approach to the conflict. Comprising of thirteen chapters written by experts on the cutting edge of historical research this collection of essays covers new aspects of the French, German, Italian and American efforts in the First World War, as well as aspects of Britain's colonial campaigns. Thematically, the chapters look at issues from tactics and operations to logistics, morale, culture and global strategy. The sheer breadth of the work makes it an indispensable text for anyone wanting to break out of the familiar ruts of Flanders' fields and gain a broader understanding of the war