Attrition by William Philpott
The First World War was too big to be grasped by its participants. In the retelling of their war in the competing memories of leaders and commanders, and the anguished fiction of its combatants, any sense of order and purpose, effort and achievement, was missing. Drawing on the experience of front line soldiers, munitions workers, politicians and those managing the vast economy of industrialised warfare, Attrition explains for the first time why and how this new type of conflict born out of industrial society was fought as it was. It was the first mass war in which the resources of the fully-mobilised societies strained every sinew in a conflict over ideals - and the humblest and highest were all caught up in the national enterprise. In a stunning narrative, this brilliant and necessary reassessment of the whole war cuts behind the myth-making to reveal the determination, organization and ambition on all sides.
A refreshingly balanced view. . the great strength of Philpott's book is its magisterial overview of the whole war . . . a fine contribution to our growing understanding of the conflict -- Peter Parker * Daily Telegraph *
A highly readable account . . . a great book for those who want to look behind the propaganda * Sunday Herald *
A first-class overview of the whole war, and a useful addition to anyone's library * Military History *
'The great strength of Philpott's book is its magisterial overview of the whole war... a fine contribution to our growing understanding of the conflict.' -- Peter Parker * Daily Telegraph *
'William Philpott, Professor of the History of Warfare at King's College London, is an eminent academic who has written extensively on conflict and has the knowledge to enable readers to view the First World War in a fresh context. His new book, Attrition, is a highly readable account of the run-up to the conflict... a great book for those who want to look behind the propaganda and read detailed accounts of all aspects of the so-called Great War.' -- Steve Briggs * Sunday Herald *
'deftly combines narrative with analysis... William Philpott's boldly argued and engaging book is a timely rejoinder to simplistic views, and an implicit rebuttal of the notion that it was uniquely dreadful.' -- Gary Sheffield * Times Literary Supplement *
A highly readable account . . . a great book for those who want to look behind the propaganda * Sunday Herald *
Philpott's achievement is to present a view of The Great War as an attritional conflict in a very readable fashion. 'Attrition' is an accessible work for the general reader rather than a denesley argued mongraph...
Attrition stands on its own merits, as an important contribution to an active and lively scholarly debate
William Philpott's boldly argued and engaging book is a timely rejoinder to simplistic views
* Times Literary Supplement *A first-class overview of the whole war, and a useful addition to anyone's library * Military History *
'The great strength of Philpott's book is its magisterial overview of the whole war... a fine contribution to our growing understanding of the conflict.' -- Peter Parker * Daily Telegraph *
'William Philpott, Professor of the History of Warfare at King's College London, is an eminent academic who has written extensively on conflict and has the knowledge to enable readers to view the First World War in a fresh context. His new book, Attrition, is a highly readable account of the run-up to the conflict... a great book for those who want to look behind the propaganda and read detailed accounts of all aspects of the so-called Great War.' -- Steve Briggs * Sunday Herald *
'deftly combines narrative with analysis... William Philpott's boldly argued and engaging book is a timely rejoinder to simplistic views, and an implicit rebuttal of the notion that it was uniquely dreadful.' -- Gary Sheffield * Times Literary Supplement *
Dr William Philpott is Professor of the History of Warfare in the Department of War Studies, King's College London. He is a specialist in the First World War, in particular British strategy and the history of the French army.
| SKU | Unavailable |
| ISBN 13 | 9781408703557 |
| ISBN 10 | 1408703556 |
| Title | Attrition |
| Author | William Philpott |
| Condition | Unavailable |
| Binding Type | Hardback |
| Publisher | Little, Brown Book Group |
| Year published | 2014-08-14 |
| Number of pages | 416 |
| Cover note | Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary. |
| Note | Unavailable |