The Pity Of War：Explaining World War I

AlandmarkworkofhistorythatchallengesourmostbasicassumptionsaboutthecausesandconsequencesoftheFirstWorldWarInThePityofWar,NiallFergusonmakesasimpleandprovocativeargument:thatthehumanatrocityknownastheGreatWarwasentirelyEngland'sfault.Britain,accordingtoFerguson,enteredintowarbasedonnaveassumptionsofGermanaims-andEngland'sentryintothewartransformedaContinentalconflictintoaworldwar,whichtheythenbadlymishandled,necessitatingAmericaninvolvement.Thewarwasnotinevitable,Fergusonargues,butrathertheresultofthemistakendecisionsofindividualswhowouldlaterclaimtohavebeeninthegripofhugeimpersonalforces.Thatthewarwaswicked,horrific,inhuman,ismemorializedinpartbythepoetryofmenlikeWilfredOwenandSiegfriedSassoon,butalsobycoldstatistics.MoreBritishsoldierswerekilledinthefirstdayoftheBattleoftheSommethanAmericansintheVietnamWar;indeed,thetotalBritishfatalitiesinthatsinglebattle-some420,000-exceedstheentireAmericanfatalitiesforbothWorldWars.Andyet,asFergusonwrites,whilethewaritselfwasadisastrousfolly,thegreatmajorityofmenwhofoughtitdidsowithenthusiasm.Fergusonvividlybringsbacktolifethisterrifyingperiod,notthroughdrycitationofchronologicalchapterandversebutthroughaseriesofbrilliantchaptersfocusingonkeywaysinwhichwenowviewtheFirstWorldWar.Foranyonewantingtounderstandwhywarsarefought,whymenarewillingtofightthem,andwhytheworldisasitistoday,thereisnosharpernormorestimulatingguidethanNiallFerguson'sThePityofWar.