Catastrophe: Europe Goes to War 1914

Abstract

In 1914, Europe plunged into the 20th century's first terrible act of self-immolation- what was then called The Great War. On the eve of its centenary, Max Hastings seeks to explain both how the conflict came about and what befell millions of men and women during the first months of strife. He finds the evidence overwhelming, that Austria and Germany must accept principal blame for the outbreak. "From the acclaimed military historian, a new history of the outbreak of World War I: from the breakdown of diplomacy to the dramatic battles that occurred before the war bogged down in the trenches. World War I immediately evokes images of the trenches: grinding, halting battles that sacrificed millions of lives for no territory or visible gain. Yet the first months of the war, from the German invasion of Belgium to the Marne to Ypres, were utterly different, full of advances and retreats, tactical maneuvering, and significant gains and losses. In Catastrophe 1914, Max Hastings re-creates this dramatic year, from the diplomatic crisis to the fighting in Belgium and France on the Western front, and Serbia and Galicia to the east. He gives vivid accounts of the battles and frank assessments of generals and political leaders, and shows why it was inevitable that this first war among modern industrial nations could not produce a decisive victory, making a war of attrition inevitable. Throughout we encounter high officials and average soldiers, as well as civilians on the homefront, giving us a vivid portrait of how a continent became embroiled in a war that would change everything"-- 1914 chronology -- The organisation of armies in 1914 -- Prologue : Sarajevo -- 'A feeling that events are in the air': Change and decay ; Battle plans -- The descent to war: The Austrians threaten ; The Russians react ; The Germans march ; The British decide -- 'The superb spectacle of the world bursting into flames': Migrations ; Passions ; Departures -- Disaster on the Drina -- Death with flags and trumpets: The execution of Plan XVII ; 'German beastliness' ; Lanrezac encounters Schlieffen -- The British fight: Mons ; Le Cateau, 'Where the fun comes in, I don't know' -- The retreat -- Tannenberg : 'Alas, how many thousands lie there bleeding!' -- The hour of Joffre: Paris at bay ; Sir John despairs ; Seeds of hope -- The nemesis of Moltke: The Marne ; 'Stalemate in our favour' -- 'Poor devils, they fought their ships like men' -- Three armies in Poland -- 'Did you ever dance with hi…