How the War Was Won - Command and Technology in the British Army on the Western Front: 1917-1918

List of contents

List of plates, List of maps, Acknowledgements, List of abbreviations, Introduction, Prologue: Images of war, 1 PARALYSIS OF COMMAND: FROM PASSCHENDAELE TO CAMBRAI, 2 A COMMAND DIVIDED: GHQ AND THE DEBATE OVER TRADITIONAL VERSUS MECHANICAL WARFARE IN EARLY 1918, 3 CRISIS IN COMMAND: THE GERMAN SPRING OFFENSIVES AND THE USES OF TECHNOLOGY, 4 COMMAND AND TECHNOLOGY IN ALLIANCE: FROM HAMEL TO AMIENS, JULY TO AUGUST 1918, 5 COMMAND VERSUS TECHNOLOGY: THE WAR OF MOVEMENT, SEPTEMBER TO NOVEMBER 1918 , 6 CONCLUSION, Appendix, Notes, Select bibliography, Index

About the author

T.H.E. Travers

Summary

"How the War Was Won" describes the major role played by the British Expeditionary Force on the Western Front in defeating the German army. In particular, the book explains the methods used in fighting the last year of the war, and raises questions as to whether mechanical warfare could have been more widely used.
Using a wide range of unpublished material from archives in both Britain and Canada, Travers explores the two themes of command and technology as the style of warfare changed from late 1917 through 1918. He describes in detail the British army's defense against the German 1918 spring offensives, analyzes command problems during these offensives, and offers an overriding explanation for the March 1918 retreat. He also fully investigates the role of the tank from Cambrai to the end of the war, and concludes that, properly used, the tank could have made a greater contribution to victory.
"How the War Was Won" explodes many myths and advances newand controversial arguments. It will be essential reading for military historians and strategists, and for those interested in the origins of mechanical warfare.

Product details

• Authors: T.H.E. Travers
• Publisher: Taylor and Francis
• Languages: English
• Product format: Hardback
• Released: 11.06.1992
• EAN: 9780415076289
• ISBN: 978-0-415-07628-9
• No. of pages: 264
• Weight: 540 g
• Subjects: Humanities, art, music > History > General, dictionaries; European History, First World War, HISTORY / World, HISTORY / Europe / Western, HISTORY / Military / Weapons, General & world history, Western Europe, General and world history, c 1914 to c 1918 (including WW1), Weapons & equipment, Land forces & warfare, c 1914 to c 1918 (World War One period), Western Continental Europe, Weapons and equipment, Land forces and warfare, HISTORY / Wars & Conflicts / World War I, HISTORY / Military / Land Forces