A History of The Great War 1914-1918, Second Edition

Abstract

This book, as its title implies, is a history of the War: it-I- deals neither with its causes remote or immediate, nor with the so-called settlement which followed. It aims at presenting the general reader with an accurate, intelli gible, and interesting account of the greatest conflict between civilized states. The War is indeed passing rapidlyinto history. To the younger generation now growing up it ha;-,l^come_ Ijut the remotest and vaguest of memories; the m^rity of undergraduates who will be coming to the Universities this autumn were born in its third year. Moreover, the materials now at the disposal of the historian are of such a character that he may feel reasonably confident ofbeing .3.ble to establish the truth, ifnot in every detail, at feast in the broad putlinerj ofhis work. Alarge proportion ofthe principal actors on either^ side, both pohtical and military, have published accounts oftheir stewardship. These naturally have averyvarying value ofreliability and ingenuousness, but in almost every instancetheyarefortifiedbyofficialmemdl-anda andsecret documents, which show the contemporary grounds on which decisions were taken,-/in the defeated countries (particularly in Germany) commissions of inquiry have thrown much important light on many points. Though j the official histories (with the exception of that of thp British navy) have not yet been completed, it is improb able that any new disclosures of serious importance re main to be made.