--- product_id: 26912231 title: "The Great War: A Combat History of the First World War" price: "€ 63.76" currency: EUR in_stock: true reviews_count: 13 url: https://www.desertcart.sk/products/26912231-the-great-war-a-combat-history-of-the-first-world store_origin: SK region: Slovakia --- # The Great War: A Combat History of the First World War **Price:** € 63.76 **Availability:** ✅ In Stock ## Quick Answers - **What is this?** The Great War: A Combat History of the First World War - **How much does it cost?** € 63.76 with free shipping - **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship - **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.sk](https://www.desertcart.sk/products/26912231-the-great-war-a-combat-history-of-the-first-world) ## Best For - Customers looking for quality international products ## Why This Product - Free international shipping included - Worldwide delivery with tracking - 15-day hassle-free returns ## Description Named one of the Ten Best Books of 2013 by The Economist World War I altered the landscape of the modern world in every conceivable arena. Millions died; empires collapsed; new ideologies and political movements arose; poison gas, warplanes, tanks, submarines, and other technologies appeared. "Total war" emerged as a grim, mature reality. In The Great War, Peter Hart provides a masterful combat history of this global conflict. Focusing on the decisive engagements, Hart explores the immense challenges faced by the commanders on all sides. He surveys the belligerent nations, analyzing their strengths, weaknesses, and strategic imperatives. Russia, for example, was obsessed with securing an exit from the Black Sea, while France--having lost to Prussia in 1871, before Germany united--constructed a network of defensive alliances, even as it held a grudge over the loss of Alsace-Lorraine. Hart offers deft portraits of the commanders, the prewar plans, and the unexpected obstacles and setbacks that upended the initial operations. Review: An amazing comprehensive historiography of the Great War. - An amazing comprehensive historiography of the Great War. I was introduced to Peter Hart's work from the popular podcast Hardcore History by Dan Carlin. This book is referenced throughout the six podcast episodes dedicated to the Great War. This book covers the conflict from 1914 until 1918 and on into the peace conferences of 1919. What I liked most about this book was how Hart covered the various fronts of the war and at different times. He talks about the campaigns in Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Africa, Mesopotamia, Italy, the sea battles, Salonica, Turkey and more. I was able to better understand the scope of this conflict. This book focuses on tactical aspects of the war with a focus on the British Expeditionary Force. This is understandable because Hart is British and they were part of the victors of the conflict. What I disliked most about the book was how little was discussed about the Battle of Verdun. This is understandable because again, Hart is British and that battle was fought primarily between the Germans and French. I'll more than likely read a book specifically about the Battle of Verdun. I found this book captivating and informative, which is everything I look for in my reading. It didn't feel like a required reading for a college class. I don't think this book is a great introductory piece for people looking to learn about the First World War because it is quite dense and nuanced in terms of British military history. I feel like you should have an affinity to studying this conflict. Review: Pity the Tragedy - This work is difficult to evaluate overall. On the one hand, it is excellent and comprehensive look at World War I from a military perspective. And the author has done a fine job in giving the various (often) overlooked campaigns such as their due and then judging them dispassionately: "Gallipoli was nothing but a foolish sideshow," the German High Seas Fleet "had all been for nothing," "Palestine proved to be a waste of resources," and "Mesopotamia was a tragedy from start to finish." Putting the entire military picture into focus helps us to understand the importance of various regions and the roles they played - or didn't play - in the eventual decisive outcome on the Western Front where the final defeat of Germany was to come (and according to the author) virtually had to come. At the same time, while there are some maps of the various theaters at the beginning of the volume, there are none dealing with the specific battles in the text where the battles are described. This can become truly maddening and it is recommended that one read the text in conjunction with a well-illustrated war atlas such as Arthur Bank's A Military Atlas of the First World War (Barnsley: Pen and Sword Books, 1997). Also, while many of Hart's major conclusions such as Germany only had small margin for victory and that was in 1914 (and even then she was suffering casualty rates "at an unacceptable rate") and all the Allied Powers were critical to the eventual victory seem sound, his exoneration of the Allied generals despite their strategic paucity of vision and horrendously high casualties, unimaginative strategy and repetitive tactics. Yes, that fighting did "prove to be one of the most complex military conundrums of the modern age," but every major battle on the Western Front was won by the defensive side, as predicted by Clausewitz and born out year after bloody year in Belgium and France. Surely more astute military minds could have been expected to have picked up on that trend earlier than they did, especially the British ones whose butcher's bill at the Somme in 1915 alone was 419,654! One of the most insightful of his observations comes in the preface where Park declares that after the Great War, "The French and the British were left drained of energy wealth and prestige even as they drank from the poisoned chalice of victory." True enough. ## Technical Specifications | Specification | Value | |---------------|-------| | Best Sellers Rank | #623,828 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #85 in World War I History (Books) #209 in Military History (Books) #404 in European History (Books) | | Customer Reviews | 4.6 out of 5 stars 922 Reviews | ## Images ![The Great War: A Combat History of the First World War - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/71D0asBa9-L.jpg) ## Customer Reviews ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ An amazing comprehensive historiography of the Great War. *by C***S on November 25, 2015* An amazing comprehensive historiography of the Great War. I was introduced to Peter Hart's work from the popular podcast Hardcore History by Dan Carlin. This book is referenced throughout the six podcast episodes dedicated to the Great War. This book covers the conflict from 1914 until 1918 and on into the peace conferences of 1919. What I liked most about this book was how Hart covered the various fronts of the war and at different times. He talks about the campaigns in Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Africa, Mesopotamia, Italy, the sea battles, Salonica, Turkey and more. I was able to better understand the scope of this conflict. This book focuses on tactical aspects of the war with a focus on the British Expeditionary Force. This is understandable because Hart is British and they were part of the victors of the conflict. What I disliked most about the book was how little was discussed about the Battle of Verdun. This is understandable because again, Hart is British and that battle was fought primarily between the Germans and French. I'll more than likely read a book specifically about the Battle of Verdun. I found this book captivating and informative, which is everything I look for in my reading. It didn't feel like a required reading for a college class. I don't think this book is a great introductory piece for people looking to learn about the First World War because it is quite dense and nuanced in terms of British military history. I feel like you should have an affinity to studying this conflict. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Pity the Tragedy *by C***M on July 5, 2013* This work is difficult to evaluate overall. On the one hand, it is excellent and comprehensive look at World War I from a military perspective. And the author has done a fine job in giving the various (often) overlooked campaigns such as their due and then judging them dispassionately: "Gallipoli was nothing but a foolish sideshow," the German High Seas Fleet "had all been for nothing," "Palestine proved to be a waste of resources," and "Mesopotamia was a tragedy from start to finish." Putting the entire military picture into focus helps us to understand the importance of various regions and the roles they played - or didn't play - in the eventual decisive outcome on the Western Front where the final defeat of Germany was to come (and according to the author) virtually had to come. At the same time, while there are some maps of the various theaters at the beginning of the volume, there are none dealing with the specific battles in the text where the battles are described. This can become truly maddening and it is recommended that one read the text in conjunction with a well-illustrated war atlas such as Arthur Bank's A Military Atlas of the First World War (Barnsley: Pen and Sword Books, 1997). Also, while many of Hart's major conclusions such as Germany only had small margin for victory and that was in 1914 (and even then she was suffering casualty rates "at an unacceptable rate") and all the Allied Powers were critical to the eventual victory seem sound, his exoneration of the Allied generals despite their strategic paucity of vision and horrendously high casualties, unimaginative strategy and repetitive tactics. Yes, that fighting did "prove to be one of the most complex military conundrums of the modern age," but every major battle on the Western Front was won by the defensive side, as predicted by Clausewitz and born out year after bloody year in Belgium and France. Surely more astute military minds could have been expected to have picked up on that trend earlier than they did, especially the British ones whose butcher's bill at the Somme in 1915 alone was 419,654! One of the most insightful of his observations comes in the preface where Park declares that after the Great War, "The French and the British were left drained of energy wealth and prestige even as they drank from the poisoned chalice of victory." True enough. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ History is AWESOME! *by A***R on March 23, 2019* There are so many details that I didn't know about the great war that came out in this book. The narration is excellent and its long enough that it didn't feel rushed. It gave me a new perspective on history without the bias of everyone looking back with 20 20 vision. No it explains the reasoning of the generals, the reasons why certain paths and not others were taken. It gives real light to the struggles of these vast empires as they struggled to win a war that neither side saw coming. That old saying that, "you are always fighting the last war" it makes sense so much in this conflict neither side wanted the bloody slog that it came down to. When neither side is willing to play to the other's game this is what happens; armies unable to gain the purchase needed to overcome the enemy must claw tooth and nail to make a firm and decisive battle. This book gives voice to those men who fought and died in a war, not without purpose as so many uneducated would say. These men fought and died for their country and their people in ideas that they thought right. --- ## Why Shop on Desertcart? - 🛒 **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** — Serving international shoppers since 2016 - 🌍 **Shop Globally** — Access 737+ million products across 21 categories - 💰 **No Hidden Fees** — All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price - 🔄 **15-Day Free Returns** — Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members) - 🔒 **Secure Payments** — Trusted payment options with buyer protection - ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** — Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews **Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.sk/products/26912231-the-great-war-a-combat-history-of-the-first-world](https://www.desertcart.sk/products/26912231-the-great-war-a-combat-history-of-the-first-world) --- *Product available on Desertcart Slovakia* *Store origin: SK* *Last updated: 2026-10-06*