The Western Front, 1914 Trilogy: A Concise History of the Opening Campaigns of the First World War, 1914-Hacking Through Belgium, the Battle of the Ri

This Leonaur special edition, published to coincide with the centenary of the outbreak of the First World War, collects three of Edmund Dane's well regarded, concise histories of warfare Never before published in this form, this substantial trilogy covers events from the outbreak of hostilities in late July, 1914, to the battle of Neuve Chapelle in early March, 1915-approximately the first six months of the conflict. Germany had long planned this war. It had its well equipped army's inexorable advance mapped out in every detail, taking into account the French fortifications along it's borders and the terrain to be traversed. German commanders decided to march through the northern flank of Belgium and present this as a 'fait de complete' to the Belgians, sweetened by terms they thought would not be refused. However, the Belgians and their small archaic army, fought back. This resistance, a story of unparalleled bravery and tenacity has been substantially forgotten due to the world-wide carnage that followed. The German Army did, of course, advance through Belgium, into France and towards Paris. The French Army fought as it stubbornly retired and the small regular British Army was quickly transported to the battle line. The B. E. F stood and fought at Mons, but could not endure the seemingly endless supply of German troops thrown at it or the vast superiority in well-served artillery at the disposal of the invaders. A dogged retreat to the Marne was fought, with actions around Le Cateau that saved the British Army from annihilation. The British and French armies turned before Paris and counter-attacked driving the Germans north over the Marne and Aisne. Towards the end of the year the Germans stood at the First Battle of Ypres-a pivotal engagement that marked the beginning of the war of stalemate. From this point on the great armies of the Western Front would gain little on the tortured battleground of blood, mud and wire. Neuve Chapelle was the first of many offensives that defined the conflict-typified by an appalling loss of life for no significant gain. The days of mobility were over and the armies began to dig into the ground for the long haul to 1918.
Leonaur editions are newly typeset and are not facsimiles; each title is available in softcover and hardback with dustjacket.