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When war broke out in Europe in 1914, nearly every combatant foresaw a short decisive conflict. Experience would soon prove, however, that this belief was sorely misplaced. Eventually, excessive economic dislocations would topple every authoritarian regime. Only the intervention of the United States would save the British and the French from collapse. This book traces the trilateral struggle between the Entente, the Central Powers, and the United States to determine the outcome of the war. Stubbs focuses on a few essential factors vital to understanding this three-way race: the acquisition of war materiel, food, human resources, and the movement of each.
In an analysis of coalition strategies, it is not enough to study the memoirs and memoranda of General Staffs or political figures engaged in war. One must also examine the roles played by each population, their industries, economy, means of transportation, and the financial decisions that make such strategies possible. In short, the material foundations of war set the boundaries within which strategic maneuvers occur. Ultimately, the United States determined the outcome of the First World War, not simply because it provided the last untapped reservoir of manpower, but due to its overall economic contributions to the allied effort.
List of contents
Introduction
Human Resources MobilizationBackground and Prewar Conditions
August 1914 to February 1916
February 1916 to November 1917
November 1917 to November 1918
Casualties, August 1914 to November 1918
Economic Resource MobilizationIntroduction
Pre-War Production
Raw Materials Production, 1914-1918
Agriculture Output, 1914-1918
Munitions Production, 1914-1918
Transportation in the Great WarTransportation Systems, 1914-1918
Maritime Transportations, 1914-1918
Rails, Rivers, and Roads, 1914-1918
Coalition WarfareCompeting National Interests, 1914-1918
The Entente, August 1914-April 1917
The Central Powers, August 1914-April 1917
The American Intervention, April-December 1917
Amalgamation Controversies, August 1914-November 1918
American Expeditionary Force
The Rise of American Hegemony
Appendix 1: German Casualties in 1918
Appendix 2: Munitions Production in the Great War
Appendix 3: Transportation
Bibliography
Index
About the author
KEVIN D. STUBBS is Lieutenant Colonel in the USAF Reserve. He holds a Ph.D. in Military History from Texas A&M.
