The War to End All Wars: The Story of World War I - Hardcover

Batten, Jack

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0887768792 ISBN 13: 9780887768798

Publisher: Tundra Books, 2009

Synopsis

A brilliant, concise history of The War to End All Wars.

In the decade leading up to 1914, Europe had never known such prosperity. But the times were not good enough for the continent’s most powerful nations: Germany wanted a navy that matched England’s; Russia wanted an army as large and as disciplined as Germany’s; the Austro-Hungarian Empire wanted more respect; and England felt compelled to teach the others about civilized relations. How terrible could a war be?

In this riveting account of a tragic episode in world history, author Jack Batten takes readers through a far bloodier conflict than mankind had ever before endured. Meet the soldiers who fought the deadly battles along the Western Front. Follow the trail of flying ace Billy Bishop as he tangles in the air with the Red Baron. Learn the strategy of Britain’s Grand Fleet of warships as it heads into the biggest sea battle in history. Discover how civilians decoded virtually all the messages the Germans sent to their ships around the world.

From the Battle of the Somme, Gallipoli, Passchendale, and Vimy Ridge to the war’s final battles, The War to End All Wars evokes the heroism and suffering of men from every country, whose stories changed the face of the world forever. With maps, index, and selected bibliography.

About this title

About the Author:

Jack Batten was a lawyer but has become a well-known author, journalist, reviewer, and radio personality. He has written over thirty books, including biographies, crime novels, and books about sports. He has written for magazines as varied as Chatelaine and Rolling Stone. His book The Man Who Ran Faster Than Everyone: The Story of Tom Longboat received Canada’s most important prize for children’s nonfiction, the Norma Fleck Award. Jack Batten lives in Toronto.

From School Library Journal:

Grade 6–9—Batten opens this overview with a story of a brave Canadian boy who rushed to enlist and was killed in action. He then discusses the causes; outbreak; major land, sea, and air actions; and conclusion of the war, incorporating the stories of leaders and soldiers. An afterword discusses Hitler's rise to power and salutes the bravery and courage of the men who fought the "war to end all wars." The text is supplemented by average-quality black-and-white photos. Batten writes clearly, and he provides both objective coverage and analysis of the war and moving stories about those who fought it, focusing mainly on Canadian people and their contributions to the war effort. It does not offer the broader perspective found in Jay Winter and Blaine Baggett's The Great War and the Shaping of the 20th Century (Penguin, 1996) or the American viewpoint of Albert Marrin's The Yanks Are Coming: The United States in the First World War (S & S, 1986).—Mary Mueller, Rolla Junior High School, MO
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About this edition

• Publisher: Tundra Books
• Publication date: 2009
• ISBN 10: 0887768792
• ISBN 13: 9780887768798
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 160