France and the Great War

A lively and accessible history of the French community's involvement in the Great War, first published in 2003.

Leonard V. Smith (Author), Stéphane Audoin-Rouzeau (Author), Annette Becker (Author)

9780521666312, Cambridge University Press

Paperback, published 13 March 2003

222 pages, 4 b/w illus. 1 colour illus. 2 maps
22.6 x 15 x 1 cm, 0.3 kg

'Written with verve and punctuated by a dry wit, France and the Great War is especially successful when it discusses (in the first and third chapters) the politics, diplomacy, and military dimensions of prewar and wartime France.' Martha Hanna, H-France

France and the Great War tells the story of how the French community embarked upon, sustained, and in some ways prevailed in the Great War. In this 2003 book, Leonard Smith and his co-authors synthesize many years of scholarship, examining the origins of the war from a diplomatic and military viewpoint, before shifting their emphasis to socio-cultural and economic history when discussing the civilian and military war culture. They look at the 'total' mobilization of the French national community, as well as the military and civilian crises of 1917, and the ambiguous victory of 1918. The book concludes by revealing how traces of the Great War can still be found in the political and cultural life of the French national community. This lively, accessible and engaging book will be of enormous value to students of the Great War.

Introduction
1. The national community goes to war
2. Mobilizing the nation and the civilians' war
3. The Front and the soldiers' war
4. The crises of 1917
5. The ambiguous victory and its aftermath
Conclusion.

Subject Areas: First World War [HBWN], Social & cultural history [HBTB], European history [HBJD]