World War I Day by Day

Near Rochester, Kent: Grange Books, 2000. Presumed First Edition, First printing. Hardcover. Format is approximately 8.75 inches by 11.25 inches. 192 pages. DJ is in a plastic sleeve. Includes Introduction, as well as chapters on 1914; 1915; 1916; 1917; and 1918. Also contains Aftermath; Index; and Acknowledgments. The war strategies of both the Austro-Hungarians and Russians were very much shaped to fall in line with Germany's war strategy. Austria-Hungary had two plans. First, there was the strategy known as Plan B to fight in the Balkans, with Serbia as the enemy. Second, there was Plan R to fight on two fronts against Serbia and its ally, Russia. In the later, more likely, scenario it was planned that the Austro-Hungarian armies would fight in support of their German counterparts, which would be based in East Prussia. The Austro-Hungarian armies were under orders to launch an attack into Russian-controlled Poland in the south to divert Russian troops from East Prussia. Other Austro-Hungarian forces were earmarked to attack Serbia. This work contains 400 photographs and maps. A detailed chronological history of WWI from the opening shots at Sarajevo in June 1914 to the armistice in November 1918. All of the major war theaters are covered, as is the fighting in the air and at sea. Dated entries discuss espionage, home fronts, politics, and technology. Additionally, there are a number of features highlighting the conflict's decisive weapons, key personalities and events, and strategy and tactics. The author has written or contributed to a number of books on military subjects, with an emphasis on works that can serve as standard references. Russia, also, had two war plans. First, if Germany attacked Russia, the Russian armies would fight a defensive war. If, however, Germany chose to attack France First, Russian troops would march into East Prussia as quickly as possible. Serbia's strategy was defined by the comparatively small size of its armed forces. Its commanders could realistically only fight a defensive war, hoping to delay any attacker for long enough until events on other fronts would force the enemy to pull some of its troops out of Serbia. Uniquely, Britain was the only major European power that did not have some form of conscription at the outbreak of World War I. Its regular army, although much smaller than its European counterparts, was an all-volunteer force. Man for man, however, it was probably the best. Its regular infantry regiments were highly trained, skilled in most aspects of warfare, and renowned for the volume and accuracy of their rifle fire. The army that Britain sent to France in 1914 was known as the British Expeditionary Force and consisted at the outset of around 100,00 men. It was a generally well-balanced force, but was later found to be lacking trench-busting medium and heavy artillery. It was also short of machine guns--just 20 in total in August 1914. In stark comparison, the German Army, although considerably larger, had 10,500. Swift to capitalize on their recent victory against the Russian Army outside Tannenberg, the Germans struck against Rennenkampf's First Army at the Masurian Lakes. General Helmuth von Moltke paid the price for the failure of the Schlieffen Plan and strategic defeat in the Battle of the Marne. He was sacked and replaced as chief of the General Staff by General Erich von Falkenhayn. The British, with the aid of the French, were able to hold the German attack, but at great cost. To the north, Belgian forces with limited French support struggled to contain the enemy advance, but at great cost. Condition: Very good / Very good.

Keywords: World War I, Chronology, Reference Works, Western Front, Somme, Ypres, Passchendaele, Eastern Front, Cambrai, Falkenhayn, Ludendorff, Douglas Haig, Verdun

ISBN: 1840133627

[Book #82131]

Price: $75.00

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