Understanding World War I: A Concise History

It started with a botched murder. By the time it ended, over 16 million people had lost their lives. Seventy million men
took up arms; nine million of them never returned home. More than four times that number had been wounded. It was supposed to be the war to end all war. Instead, the Great War began a cycle of violence that would shape the 20th century, bring about another world war within a generation, spawn a cold war that would divide the continent of Europe for half a century, and leave echoes that still reverberate in the 21st century.
In this concise yet comprehensive history of World War I, the conduct of the war is reviewed, from the trenches of the
Western Front to the frozen fields of the Eastern Front, from the war in the multiple theaters of the Middle East to the war in Africa, China, and the South Pacific. This was the first war fought in three dimensions: on land and sea, beneath the waves, and in the air. It heralded the beginning of air power and the emergence of submarine warfare.
It was the first war of the industrial age. It mobilized the industrial might and the scientific genius of the developed
nations and galvanized their populations into total war. It redrew the map of Europe, reshuffled its colonies, and
brought four great empires to an inglorious end. It heralded the rise of a new world order as millions of American dough boys crossed the Atlantic in defense of European liberty. It underscored the twilight of the old world while the new world flexed its industrial and financial power. By the end of the war, 90% of the world s population had chosen sides making
the Great War a truly global war.
BONUS DVD: WWI: THE 100 YEAR WAR 1914 2014
This 4 1/2 hour DVD is the perfect accompaniment to the book, providing additional detail and an historical overview of WWI, featuring rare B&W and color archival footage, informative maps,
and expert commentary from noted historians.
NTSC, Color & B&W, Playable in All Regions, Run Time: 4 1/2 hours.