A Popular History of The Great War/Volume 1/Page 4


A Popular History of The Great War   ·   Volume 1: The First Phase: 1914


constant and careful consultation of dispatches and official documents has not been confined to those of Great Britain only. Mention should also be made here of the Editor's great indebtedness to the Official Histories of the War, especially the volumes of "Military Operations, France and Flanders," edited by Brigadier General Sir James E. Edmonds and published by Macmillan & Co., Ltd., and of "Naval Operations," edited by Sir Julian Corbett and published by Longmans, Green & Co., Ltd.

Our six volumes are divided into clearly cut periods, and the chapters carry the story forward, as far as possible, in chronological order, so that the reader can turn readily to any part of the narrative in which he may be particularly interested. For textual reference to the numerous events, places, and personalities a complete index is provided at the end of the work.

The point of view taken throughout the work is frankly that of Great Britain, in which are included the Dominions and other overseas parts of the Empire, whose contributions to the common cause are duly recorded in their proper places. The Editor has not thought it necessary to assume that Great Britain was always in the wrong, or to minimize in any way the wonderful heroism shown by her fighting men in the three arms, although he has tried to avoid the somewhat overheated rhetoric in which many of the early descriptions of the events of the war were expressed. He is equally anxious to be fair to the enemy, whose bravery, at all events, was unquestioned, but he has been unable to accept the view that all the warring nations were equally responsible for the conflict, or that the Germans, having lost the war, should escape the just penalty of their folly or their crime.

One or two features of these volumes may be noted. They contain 3,840 pages of text, and something like 1,500,000 words. Over 100 maps and diagrams are provided to help the reader to follow the various naval and military operations, and in addition there are some 800 photographic illustrations of places and persons mentioned in our History. A diary of events of the period is appended to each volume, which also contains biographical particulars of those in the various countries who figured prominently in the struggle.

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