The Killing GroundThis books explains why the British Army fought the way it did in the First World War. It integrates social and military history and the impact of ideas to tell the story of how the army, especially the senior officers, adapted to the new technological warfare and asks: Was the style of warfare on the Western Front inevitable? Using an extensive range of unpublished diaries, letters, memoirs and Cabinet and War Office files, Professor Travers explains how and why the ideas, tactics and strategies emerged. He emphasises the influence of pre-war social and military attitudes, and examines the early life and career of Sir Douglas Haig. The author's analysis of the preparations for the Battles of the Somme and Passchendaele provide new interpretations of the role of Haig and his GHQ, and he explains the reasons for the unexpected British withdrawal in March 1918. An appendix supplies short biographies of senior British officers. In general, historians of the First World War are in two hostile camps: those who see the futility of lions led by donkeys on the one hand and on the other the apologists for Haig and the conduct of the war. Professor Travers' immensely readable book provides a bridge between the two. |
Contents
PART I Understanding the Edwardian Army | 2 |
the Evolution of a CommanderinChief | 83 |
the Somme 1916 | 124 |
PART IV Remembrance and Recrimination | 200 |
1918 and the FrancoGermanBritish Armies in Comparison | 250 |
Maps | 265 |
Other editions - View all
The Killing Ground: The British Army, the Western Front and the Emergence of ... Timothy Travers No preview available - 2003 |
Common terms and phrases
14 July 21 March 32 Division A. A. Montgomery April artillery assault attack August Aylmer Haldane Battalion battle breakthrough British army Byng cavalry Charteris CIGS Commander-in-Chief Corps commanders counter battery criticism decisive defence Diary Edmonds Papers enemy Field Marshal Fifth Army fighting fire fire-power Flesquières Fourth Army front line German offensive GHQ's Gough guns Haig and GHQ Haig Papers Haig's Haldane Papers Henry Wilson ideas IV Corps J. F. C. Fuller January June Kiggell Lady Haig Liddell Hart Papers Lieutenant Colonel Lieutenant General Sir Lloyd George London Macdonogh machine-gun Mametz Wood Maxse Papers morale November October Official History Passchendaele problems Promoted Major Rawlinson Papers Report reserves Robertson Royal senior officers September 1916 Sir John French Somme South Africa Staff College staff officer Tactical Notes Talk with Edmonds tanks Third Army told troops warfare Wilson Papers wrote WSRO Wynne XVIII Corps