{"product_id":"darkest-days-book-douglas-newton-9781781688168","title":"The Darkest Days","description":"The centenary of the outbreak of the First  World War may be commemorated by some as a great moment of national  history. But the standard history of Britain's choice for war is far  from the truth. Using a wide range of sources, including the personal  papers of many of the key figures, some for the first time, historian  Douglas Newton presents a new, dramatic narrative. He interleaves the  story of those pressing for a choice for war with the story of those  resisting Britain's descent into calamity. He shows how the decision to  go to war was rushed, in the face of vehement opposition, in the Cabinet  and Parliament, in the Liberal and Labour press, and in the streets.  There was no democratic decision for war. The history of this  opposition has been largely erased from the record, yet it was crucial  to what actually happened in August 1914. Two days before the  declaration of war four members of the Cabinet resigned in protest at  the war party's manipulation of the crisis. The government almost  disintegrated. Meanwhile large crowds gathered in Trafalgar Square to  hear the case for neutrality and peace. Yet this cry was ignored by the  government. Meanwhile, elements of the press, the Foreign Office, and  the Tory Opposition sought to browbeat the government into a quick  decision. Belgium had little to do with it. The key decision to  enter the war was made before Belgium was invaded. Those bellowing for  hostilities were eager for Britain to enter any war in solidarity with  Russia and France - for the future safety of the British Empire. In  particular Newton shows how Prime Minister H. H. Asquith, Foreign  Minister Sir Edward Grey, and First Lord of the Admiralty Winston  Churchill colluded to pre-empt the decisions of Cabinet, to manipulate  the parliament, and to hurry the nation toward intervention by any means  necessary.","brand":"WoB","offers":[{"title":"GB \/ VERY_GOOD \/ INTERNAL","offer_id":49572012818705,"sku":"GOR006607272","price":11.5,"currency_code":"CHF","in_stock":true},{"title":"GB \/ GOOD \/ INTERNAL","offer_id":49650886836497,"sku":"GOR007901556","price":12.0,"currency_code":"CHF","in_stock":false},{"title":"GB \/ NEW \/ GARDNERS","offer_id":49736743354641,"sku":"NGR9781781688168","price":0.0,"currency_code":"CHF","in_stock":false},{"title":"US \/ GOOD \/ SBYB","offer_id":50390732898577,"sku":"CIN1781688168G","price":0.0,"currency_code":"CHF","in_stock":false},{"title":"US \/ VERY_GOOD \/ SBYB","offer_id":50400216482065,"sku":"CIN1781688168VG","price":0.0,"currency_code":"CHF","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0784\/4072\/6801\/files\/1781688168.jpg?v=1751425515","url":"https:\/\/www.worldofbooks.com\/de-ch\/products\/darkest-days-buch-douglas-newton-9781781688168","provider":"World of Books ","version":"1.0","type":"link"}