Praise for The First World War
“The Great War of 1914 — 1918 is increasingly and accurately regarded as the defining event of the twentieth century. This is quite simply the best short history of the war in print. Strachan provides a history of the war as a global conflict, waged for fundamental issues that continue to shape our values, and the way we see the world. The governments, the societies, and the people who sacrificed on scales barely imaginable today were not deluded players on a stage of shadows. Strachan has emerged as the master of us all who write of war in English.”
— Dennis Showalter
“This is a powerful and highly readable account of the determining event of the twentieth century. The many photographs are outstanding.”
— Paul Johnson
“What Strachan offers is history as only the professional can do it, and rarely enough even then. Every intricacy, political, military, and diplomatic, of the conflict is open for inspection.”
— Adam Gopnik, The New Yorker
“A marvel of synthesis . . . This serious, compact survey of the war’s history stands out as the most well-informed, accessible work available.”
— Los Angeles Times
“Splendid . . . the prose is so clear that the author’s fellow academics may revoke his numerous honors.” — The Washington Post
“This is likely to be the most indispensable one-volume work on the subject since John Keegan’s First World War.”
— Publishers Weekly
“A well-conceived and lucidly written survey of the twentieth century’s first great bloodletting, with close attention to little-known episodes in and preceding the conflict . . . The best single-volume treatment of the conflict in recent years.” — Kirkus Reviews