Author:David Stevenson
FINANCIAL TIMES HISTORY BOOK OF THE YEAR and DAILY TELEGRAPH BOOKS OF THE YEAR
Shortlisted for the 2012 DUKE OF WESTMINSTER MEDAL FOR MILITARY LITERATURE
At the end of 1917 Britain and France faced a strategic nightmare. Their great offensives against Germany had been calamitous, leaving hundreds of thousands of young men dead and wounded for negligible territorial gains. Despite America's entry into the war the US army remained tiny, the Italian army had been routed, and Russia had dropped out of the conflict. The Central Powers now dominated Central and Eastern Europe, and Germany could move over forty divisions to the Western Front. Yet only one year later, on 11 November 1918, the fighting ended in a decisive Allied victory.
Stevenson's rich and compelling book retells the story of 1918, and with penetrating original research goes to the very roots of this instrumental turning point in modern history.
It is impossible ... to exaggerate how impressive this book is
—— David Crane , The SpectatorBrilliant and comprehensive ... a major contribution
—— A. W. Purdue , The Times Higher Education SupplementThis is, as one would expect from a historian of Stevenson's great learning and analytical power, a masterly study
—— The Sunday TelegraphAn immensely useful study, emphasising the crucial importance of morale, political stability and trust
—— Max Egremont , Literary ReviewStevenson brings to his study a formidable authority and mastery of the sources, and judgments that seem admirably measured and nuanced
—— Max Hastings , Sunday TimesA fascinating military narrative ... masterly
—— William Anthony Hay , Wall Street JournalA magnificent and exhaustive account of the war's final year ... Stevenson has a deserved reputation as one of the world's leading authorities on the war
—— Tony Barber , Financial TimesA magisterial single volume synthesis of all the themes to deliver a punchy, incisive reboot of WW1 history that is never a dull read
—— Warships International Fleet ReviewAn outstanding contribution
—— Frank Ellis , Quarterly ReviewA monumental study deserving of a wide readership by scholars and generalists alike
—— Library JournalStevenson's grand scope, his international perspective, and his reliable judgements, combined with crystal-clear writing, have produced an exemplary book, a formidable contribution to our understanding of the Great War and the twentieth century
—— English Historical ReviewThe strength of the book lies in his ability to weave together astute analysis of the antagonists' abilities and weaknesses ... Told with verve and analytical vigour, Stevenson's book is a compelling and authoritative study of one of the most significant turning points in 20th-century military history
—— Robert Gerwath , The Irish TimesStevenson's detailed, lucid description of the development and maturation of that ability reflects encyclopedic mastery of published and archival sources while synergizing military, economic, political, and social-cultural factors. It is a professor's page-turner. It is also a door-opener to any reader seeking to understand the Great War's last stage
—— Publishers WeeklyComprehensive ... it generates real power
—— ObserverTruly eye-opening ... Edgerton's carefully researched book will fundamentally change the way you think about World War II
—— Daily BeastRiveting ... a wonderfully rich book ... thoroughly stimulating
—— Richard Toye , HistoryA major new assessment of Britain's war effort from 1939 to 1945. Never again will some of the lazy assessments of how Britain performed over these years ... be acceptable. That's why this is such an important book
—— History TodayInnovative and most important
—— Contemporary ReviewCompelling and engaging ... an excellent read
—— SoldierEdgerton's well-researched volume bursts with data that reveal Britain's true strength even when supposed to be in critical condition
—— Peter Moreira , Military HistoryBritain's War Machine offers the boldest revisionist argument that seeks to overturn some of our most treasured assumptions about Britain's role in the war ... Edgerton [is] an economic historian with an army of marshalled facts and figures at his fingertips ... This is truly an eye-opening book that explodes the masochistic myth of poor little Britain, revealing the island as a proud power with the resources needed to fight and win a world war
—— Nigel Jones , SpectatorMasterful Britain's War Machine promotes the notion that the United Kingdom of the Forties was a superpower, with access to millions of men across the globe, and forming the heart of a global production network
—— Mail on SundayToni Morrison’s mesmerising prose manages to be both elegiac and visceral at the same time
—— Mail on Sunday