Postcards from the Trenches: Images from the First World War - Hardcover

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1851243917 ISBN 13: 9781851243914

Publisher: Bodleian Library, University of Oxford, 2008

Synopsis

World War I has come down to us in indelible images—those of airplane bombers, bleak-eyed soldiers, stern-faced commanders, and the ruins of countless villages. But soldiers themselves also took photographs on the battlefield, and many of their striking images were transformed into postcards that were sent home to family and friends or collected as war mementos. Postcards from the Trenches gathers a number of these postcards to create a striking visual history of World War I.
The cards in this compelling volume were created not only by soldiers, but also by embedded journalists from France, Belgium, Austria, Germany, and Britain. The images capture scenes both humorous and poignant, including soldiers having a mock party with little food to eat, wounded soldiers smiling for the camera, a makeshift trench hospital, the bloody aftermath of a battle, and a huddle of men taking what they know could be their last communion before marching onto the battlefield. Other cards document the mundane duties that dominated wartime life, including men digging trenches, troops marching to new trenches and battlefields, and or soldiers nearly comatose with boredom while waiting for the fight to begin. This stunning visual narrative opens a new window into one of the most analyzed events in history, as the postcards’ images testify to the resilience and bravery of soldiers in the most trying circumstances.
            A fascinating and unprecedented historical document, Postcards from the Trenches draws back the curtain to unflinchingly show the daily horror and humanity that define life in war. 

About this title

About the Author

Andrew Roberts is a historian and biographer who has published books on Waterloo, Hitler and Churchill, the Marquis of Salisbury, the Earl of Halifax and the history of English-speaking peoples since 1900 amongst many others. He is an expert on military history and has won many awards for his writing.

Review

For both Trenches and Russian Revolution: "With introductions by historian Andrew Roberts, these attractive books will interest the casual reader and bear close inspection by the specialist. Viewed from the angle of their postcards, the Russina Revolution and World War I become accessible and multifaceted on a human level, allowing readers a glimpse into aspects of those turbulent times that most will not have seen before."—Army (Army)

Edition details

• Publisher: Bodleian Library, University of Oxford
• Publication date: 2008
• ISBN 10: 1851243917
• ISBN 13: 9781851243914
• Binding: Hardcover
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 112
• Editor: Bodleian Library