具体描述
The First World War was a watershed in world history. Tragic but far from futile, its origins, events and legacy have roused impassioned debate, creating multiple interpretations and confusion for those encountering the period for the first time.
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Synthesising the latest scholarship, acclaimed historian Gary Sheffield cuts to the heart of the conflict. He explores such key issues as:
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- the causes of war
- the great battles on land, sea and in the air
- the search for the peace and peace settlements
- the political, social and economic consequences
- the impact of 'total war' on the belligerents and the individual
- and the place of the Great War in the history of warfare
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Accessible and authoritative, this is the ultimate introduction for anyone wanting a clear understanding of what happened and why.
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【Review】
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'Well written and persuasive …objective and well-rounded... This scholarly rehabilitation should be the standard biography of Haig.'
(Andrew Roberts, Mail on Sunday on The Chief)
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'Solid scholarship and admirable advocacy.'
(Sunday Telegraph on The Chief)
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'[An]iconoclastic tour de force.'
(Niall Ferguson, Sunday Telegraph on Forgotten Victory)
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'Outstanding'
(Sir Michael Howard on Forgotten Victory)
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‘Gary Sheffield is one of Britain's foremost historians of the First World War – insightful, original and superbly informed.’
(Max Hastings)
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‘In a book all the more impressive for its brevity, Gary Sheffield covers a remarkable amount of ground, from the war's causes to its consequences.’
(Michael Neiberg, Professor of History at the University of Southern Mississippi)
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‘One of Britain’s foremost historians of the Great War offers here a clear and concise account of the great catastrophe of the 20th Century. Drawing on an enormous knowledge of secondary literature combined with many years of immersion in the archives, the result is a masterful mix of narrative and analysis that will prove both provocative and stimulating.’
(Jeffrey Grey, Professor of History, UNSW Canberra)
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‘Professor Gary Sheffield, one of the leading figures in the field, turns his considerable talent to providing the most up-to-date view of this most controversial of conflicts. The result is history at its very best; masterfully written, engaging, and thought provoking.’
(Andrew Wiest, Founding Director of the Center for the Study of War and Society, University of Southe)
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‘A compelling and original account that should become a set text for anyone wanting to understand the events of 1914-18.’
(James Holland, bestselling author of The Battle of Britain and Dam Busters)
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‘An excellent introduction to this vast subject which will be accessible to those beginning to study the conflict as well as a stimulating read for more experienced scholars.’
(Brian Bond, Emeritus Professor of Military History, Kings College, London)
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‘The best short history of World War One that is currently available’
(Jeremy Black, Professor of History, University of Exeter)
作者简介
Gary Sheffield is Professor of War Studies at the University of Wolverhampton. He is President of the International Guild of Battlefield Guides and a Vice President of the Western Front Association. He has published widely on the First World War and regularly broadcasts on television and radio as well as contributing to numerous journals, magazines and newspapers. Previous books include the acclaimed Forgotten Victory and The Chief: Douglas Haig and the British Army, which was shorlisted for the presigious Duke of Westminster's Medal.
目录信息
读后感
用户评价
读完这本书,最令人震撼的是它对战争“遗产”的探讨。作者没有草草收场于停战协定的签署,而是将相当的笔墨用于分析凡尔赛体系的内在矛盾和它为未来埋下的祸根。对于魏玛共和国的脆弱性、对“背后捅刀子”传说的形成,以及各国在战后赔款问题上的龃龉,作者的分析鞭辟入里,充满了对历史进程的批判性反思。你几乎可以从字里行间感受到,作者对那些在谈判桌上被随意描绘的国界线如何注定要引发下一场灾难的深深忧虑。这种对历史因果链条的清晰梳理,让读者在合上书本时,不仅对第一次世界大战有了完整的认识,更对二十世纪后半叶的许多冲突有了更深层次的理解基础。它提供了一种必要的警示:和平的代价远比想象的要沉重。
这本书简直是历史爱好者的福音!我原以为对于“一战”这样宏大的主题,任何试图进行“简短”叙述的尝试都会流于表面,但作者以一种令人惊叹的笔触,在有限的篇幅内构建了一个既有深度又不失清晰度的叙事框架。它不是那种堆砌枯燥日期和战役名称的教科书,而更像是一部精心编织的史诗。作者在开篇就抓住了读者的注意力,迅速将我们带入到战前欧洲错综复杂的政治迷宫中,那种层层叠加的联盟体系和日益紧张的民族情绪,被描绘得栩栩如生。尤其让我印象深刻的是,作者在处理那些复杂的同盟关系时,没有采用生硬的罗列,而是通过精彩的人物侧写和关键的外交电报片段,展现了决策者们在历史十字路口上的犹豫、误判与必然性。读完这部分,你不会觉得“一战”是突发事件,而是理解了它如何像一个慢动作的巨型机器,无可避免地开始运转。那种历史宿命感被烘托得恰到好处,为后续的血腥冲突做了极其有力的铺垫。
这本书的叙事节奏掌控得炉火纯青,从巴黎和维也纳的咖啡馆密谋,到马恩河畔的堑壕泥泞,过渡得自然流畅,丝毫没有拖沓感。它巧妙地平衡了宏观战略与微观体验。当我们谈论西线时,通常脑海中会浮现出无休止的炮火和铁丝网,但这本书成功地捕捉到了士兵们日常生活的细节——不仅仅是死亡和恐惧,还有那些短暂的休战、对家乡的思念,以及面对新式武器时的迷茫。作者没有把焦点仅仅放在主要战场的交锋上,而是将目光投向了更为广阔的舞台,比如东线那片无垠的土地上沙皇俄国的崩溃,以及奥斯曼帝国在加里波利和中东的挣扎。这种全球化的视角,使得“一战”不再是仅仅围绕法国和比利时展开的冲突,而是真正意义上的一次世界大战,涉及了殖民地军队的调动和远方人民的命运。
作者在分析战争的社会和技术影响方面,展现了深刻的洞察力。这本书不仅仅是关于“发生了什么”,更重要的是关于“它如何改变了一切”。我特别欣赏作者对技术变革的描述,那种对新式杀戮机器——从毒气到坦克的——的冷静审视,揭示了工业革命如何以一种前所未有的效率被用于人类的自我毁灭。更进一步说,这本书对后方社会的影响进行了细致的描摹。它清晰地展示了战时动员如何重塑了性别角色、经济结构乃至艺术思潮。例如,它提到了战争如何加速了妇女进入工厂,以及这种社会力量的转移在战后如何催生了新的政治诉求。这种对战争社会学维度的挖掘,让这本书远超了一般的军事史著作,它深入到了现代性的核心危机之中。
我必须承认,我原以为这会是一本枯燥的“导论”式读物,但这本书的写作风格极其富有画面感和情感张力,其叙述的流畅性简直让人忘了在阅读历史文献。作者对于政治家和军事指挥官心理活动的捕捉尤其精准,比如对一些关键人物在决策瞬间的犹豫和自负的描绘,常常让人产生一种“如果当时……”的强烈代入感。这种文学化的叙事手法,并没有牺牲历史的严谨性,反而增强了历史的穿透力。那些对战争哲学和道德困境的探讨穿插得非常自然,它们不是生硬的议论,而是从事件本身提炼出的深刻见解。总而言之,这本书就像一扇光线极佳的窗户,让我们得以窥见那个决定了现代世界面貌的、充满悲剧色彩的年代,它既是知识的宝库,也是一次深刻的智性旅程。