P. C. March.
General,
Chief of Staff,
United States Army.
FOREWORD
THIS is a popular narrative history of the world’s greatest war. Written frankly from the viewpoint of the United States and the Allies, it visualizes the bloodiest and most destructive conflict of all the ages from its remote causes to its glorious conclusion and beneficent results. The world-shaking rise of new democracies is set forth, and the enormous national and individual sacrifices producing that resurrection of human equality are detailed.
Two ideals have been before us in the preparation of this necessary work. These are simplicity and thoroughness. It is of no avail to describe the greatest of human events if the description is so confused that the reader loses interest. Thoroughness is an historical essential beyond price. So it is that official documents prepared in many instances upon the field of battle, and others taken from the files of the governments at war, are the basis of this work. Maps and photographs of unusual clearness and high authenticity illuminate the text. All that has gone into war making, into the regeneration of the world, are herein set forth with historical particularity. The stark horrors of Belgium, the blighting terrors of chemical warfare, the governmental restrictions placed upon hundreds of millions of civilians, the war sacrifices falling upon all the civilized peoples of earth, are in these pages.
It is a work that mankind can well read and treasure.
CONTENTS
VOLUME I
| Introduction by General March | |
|---|---|
| PAGE | |
| Chapter I. A War for International Freedom | |
| A Conflict that was Inevitable—The Flower of Manhood onthe Fields of France—Germany’s Defiance to the World—HeroicBelgium—Four Autocratic Nations against Twenty-fourCommitted to the Principles of Liberty—America’sTitanic Effort—Four Million Men Under Arms, TwoMillion Overseas—France the Martyr Nation—The BritishEmpire’s Tremendous Share in the Victory—A River ofBlood Watering the Desert of Autocracy | [ 1] |
| Chapter II. The World Suddenly Turned Upside Down | |
| The War Storm Breaks—Trade and Commerce Paralyzed—HomewardRush of Travelers—Stock Markets Closed—TheTide of Desolation Following in the Wake of War | [ 21] |
| Chapter III. Why the World Went to War | |
| The Balkan Ferment—Russia, the Dying Giant AmongAutocracies—Turkey the “Sick Man” of Europe—ScarsLeft by the Balkan War—Germany’s Determination toSeize a Place in the Sun | [ 41] |
| Chapter IV. The Plotter Behind the Scene | |
| The Assassination at Sarajevo—The Slavic Ferment—Austria’sDomineering Note—The Plotters of Potsdam—TheMailed Fist of Militarism Beneath the Velvet Glove ofDiplomacy—Mobilization and Declarations of War | [ 58] |
| Chapter V. The Great War Begins | |
| Germany Invades Belgium and Luxemburg—French InvadeAlsace—England’s “Contemptible Little Army” Landsin France and Belgium—The Murderous Gray-Green Tide—HeroicRetreat of the British from Mons—Belgium Overrun—NorthernFrance Invaded—Marshal Joffre MakesReady to Strike | [ 88] |
| Chapter VI. The Trail of the Beast in Belgium | |
| Barbarities that Shocked Humanity—Planned as Part of theTeutonic Policy of Schrecklichkeit—How the German and theHun Became Synonymous Terms—The UnmatchableCrimes of a War-Mad Army—A Record of Infamy Writtenin Blood and Tears—Official Reports | [ 117] |
| Chapter VII. The First Battle of the Marne | |
| Joffre’s Masterly Plan—The Enemy Trapped BetweenVerdun and Paris—Gallieni’s “Army in Taxicabs”—Foch,the “Savior of Civilization,” Appears—His MightyThrust Routs the Army of Hausen—Joffre Salutes Fochas “The First Strategist in Europe”—The Battle thatWon the Baton of a Marshal | [ 153] |
| Chapter VIII. Japan in the War | |
| Tsing-Tau Seized by the Mikado—German “Gibraltar”of Far East Surrendered After Short Siege—Japan’s Aid tothe Allies in Money, Ships, Men and Nurses—GermanPropaganda in the Far East Fails | [ 170] |
| Chapter IX. Campaign in the East | |
| Invasion of East Prussia—Von Hindenburg and MasurianLakes—Battle of Tannenberg—Augustovo—Russians CaptureLemberg—The Offer to Poland | [ 184] |
| Chapter X. New Methods and Horrors of Warfare | |
| Tanks—Poison Gas—Flame Projectors—Airplane Bombs—TrenchMortars—Machine Guns—Modern Uses of Airplanesfor Liaison and Attacks on Infantry—Radio—Rifleand Hand Grenades—A War of Intensive ArtilleryPreparation—A Debacle of Insanities, Terrible Wounds andHorrible Deaths | [ 212] |
ILLUSTRATIONS
VOLUME I
| The Victorious Generals | [ Frontispiece] |
| PAGE | |
| Kings and Chief Executives of the PrincipalPowers Associated Against the GermanAlliance | [ 2] |
| The “Tiger of France” | [ 14] |
| The Right Honorable David Lloyd George | [ 36] |
| Francis Joseph I of Austria, The “Old Emperor”on a State Occasion | [ 44] |
| The Kaiser and his Six Sons | [ 82] |
| King Albert at the Head of the HeroicSoldiers of Belgium | [ 94] |
| A Scene from Early Trench Warfare | [ 114] |
| German Atrocities | [ 126] |
| The Supreme Exponents of German Frightfulness | [ 148] |
| General Pershing and Marshal Joffre | [ 156] |
| Marshal Ferdinand Foch, Commander-in-chiefof the Allied Armies | [ 162] |
| Cossacks of the Don Attacking PrussianCavalry | [ 188] |
| The Made-to-order Inferno of the Flame-thrower | [ 230] |
| Types of Land Battleships Developed byAllies and Germans | [ 234] |