Enduring the Great War: Combat, Morale and Collapse in the German and British Armies, 1914-1918

Description

This book is an innovative comparative history of how German and British soldiers endured the horror of the First World War. Unlike existing literature, which emphasises the strength of societies or military institutions, this study argues that at the heart of armies' robustness lay natural human resilience. Drawing widely on contemporary letters and diaries of British and German soldiers, psychiatric reports and official documentation, and interpreting these sources with modern psychological research, this unique account provides fresh insights into the soldiers' fears, motivations and coping mechanisms. It explains why the British outlasted their opponents by examining and comparing the motives for fighting, the effectiveness with which armies and societies supported men and the combatants' morale throughout the conflict on both sides. Finally it challenges the consensus on the war's end, arguing that not a 'covert strike' but rather an 'ordered surrender' led by junior officers brought about Germany's defeat in 1918.

Alexander Watson is a Research Fellow at Clare Hall, University of Cambridge.

Review of the hardback: 'Alexander Watson's Enduring the Great War is certainly a must-read for all students of World War I, as well as those who write about it. Ably written and nicely illustrated, this study boasts an impressive depth of research in fifteen archives, repositories, and collections in Britain and Germany. ... [It] belongs on the shelf of any scholar who aspires to be current on the literature of twentieth-century Europe.' History: Reviews of New Books Review of the hardback: 'A superbly researched monograph on a difficult subject ... It is impossible to do justice to such an impressive study in a short review. As an instrument for further research on the subject, it is without parallel: the nine pages listing the archival sources used provide an ideal springboard for any subsequent scholar interested in exploring the field further ... while the copious bibliogrpahy of up-to-date primary and secondary publications will be a great help for anyone teaching a course on the First World War. ... all university libraries will want to acquire it - as well as all departments of history and departments of British, German, and war studies.' H-Net Reviews Review of the hardback: 'The analysis here is fresh and well argued: the conclusions are stimulating and will cause many to re-examine long held understandings.' Contemporary Review Review of the hardback: 'In six closely argued and well documented chapters, Watson analyses soldiers motivations for joining and fighting, survival and coping strategies, junior office leadership, moral and endurance and, finally, the causes of German collapse in 1918.' Stand To! Review of the hardback: 'This is an extremely good book, which makes a significant contribution to the history of the First World War and to the wider study of combat effectiveness. Alexander Watson has analysed a wide range of primary sources in an original manner: the result is a stimulating work that will become required reading. ... [His] ability to incorporate the information he has gathered in a readable volume is truly impressive. ... This book blends military, social, cultural, and psychological history with panache. ... It is to be hoped that it will be both example and provocation for further, similarly brilliant work, which will test its arguments and approach on other fronts and other nations.' Dr. Dan Todman, War in History Review of the hardback: 'With its impressive use of archival evidence, its mastery of the relevant secondary literature, and its scrupulously fair-minded treatment of the German army, this book is well worth reading for anyone who seeks a glimpse inside the minds of the men, both British and German, who fought the Great War.' Dr Jesse Kauffman, H-Net Review of the hardback: '... an exciting comparative study.' The Times Literary Supplement 'Alexander Watson has produced a work that reflects his tremendous scholarship.' Open History