World War I Day by Day

The causes of the "war to end all wars" have been debated exhaustively over the years since Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife were assassinated on June 28, 1914. Whatever the precise reasons for the rush to war caused by this act of terrorism, the conflict itself sounded the death knell of the great powers that fought it. Caused by the expansionist policies of the Old World empires, World War I ended in 1918 only after the Central Powers had been crushed following the entry of United States troops onto the battlefield. The war itself was characterised by long periods of attrition. After the initial assaults, each of the fronts settled into a bloodbath of butchery that gave staggering casualty levels. Estimates suggest that nearly ten million soldiers were killed and at least twenty million wounded. Civilians, too, suffered to an unparalleled extentaround two million Russians died, along with 500,000 Germans, and 600,000 Armenians.A truly global conflictit...

The war itself was characterised by long periods of attrition. After the initial assaults, each of the fronts settled into a bloodbath of butchery that gave staggering casualty levels. Estimates suggest that nearly ten million soldiers were killed and at least twenty million wounded. Civilians, too, suffered to an unparalleled extent–around two million Russians died, along with 500,000 Germans, and 600,000 Armenians.

This book is a chronological history of the conflict from the opening shots at Sarajevo in June 1914 to the armistice in November 1918. All the major war theatres are covered, as is the fighting in the air and at sea. The dated entries also discuss espionage, home fronts, politics and technology. In addition, there are a number of longer features highlighting the conflict's decisive weapons, key personalities and events, and strategy and tactics. The book also contains over 300 photographs and maps.