Passchendaele: The Untold Story

The carnage on the Western Front at Passchendaele, where 275,000 Allied and 200,000 German soldiers fell, was neither inevitable nor inescapable, the authors of this gripping book insist. Robin Prior and Trevor Wilson here offer the most complete account of the campaign ever published, establishing what actually occurred, what options were available, and who was responsible for the devastation.

Reviews of the earlier edition: "The clearest and most balanced picture yet of a battle whose very name evokes the horror and supposed futility of [World War I]."—John Grigg, The Spectator "This book will appeal to both the scholar and the general public and belongs in every World War I collection."—Agnes F. Peterson, History "The most wide-ranging and perceptive account of Passchendaele yet written."—Robert Cowley, Military History Quarterly "The authors excel in their thorough use of original sources to provide a masterly account . . . clearly related and supported by admirable maps."—Brian Bond, Times Literary Supplement "Lucid and persuasive."—E. S. Turner, London Review of Books "[An] extraordinary investigation of Sir Douglas Haig's ruinous Ypres campaign of 1917. . . . This is the most wide-ranging and perceptive account of Passchendaele yet written. [This] book not only captures the agony of the soldiers' war but, in the measured, understated tone of the best prosecutors, leads us to inevitable conclusions."—Robert Cowley, Military History Quarterly "A monument to scholarship, economical and often eloquent writing, and a solid grasp of the real issues involved in World War I. . . . This is a great book. . . . It is a book that every marine who aspires to higher command should add to his or her library—one that will undoubtedly reward its owner by rereading and rereading."—Williamson Murray, Marine Corps Gazette "Without a doubt the best book on the campaign yet published. . . . It is well-researches, well-written, and will keep historians arguing for years to come."—Stand To "Prior and Wilson, both distinguished historians, have conducted extensive primary research to provide an account at once both provocative and authoritative."—Choice "The authors should be commended for writing a balanced, convincing work that reveals the devastation of the First World War and the failure of military and political leaders to recognize this horror."—Virginia Quarterly Review