Hundred Days: The End of the Great War
Hundred Days tells the story of the last four months of combat on the western front. It concentrates on the fighting in France and Belgium, with brief discussion of the war elsewhere, from Italy and Salonika to Palestine. The author argues that the last few months of the war have been largely ignored by both sides for various reasons, both political and social. Celebrations were muted – it was enough that the war was over. These accounts, drawn from the archives of five countries, offer a valuable and moving picture of what it was really like to experience the twilight of the war, when even while negotiations were going on, soldiers were still being slaughtered. Improvements in tactics and strategy – rolling artillery barrages placed immediately in front of advancing infantry, promised to break the stalemate of trench warfare. The book looks at the war from both the viewpoint of the allies and the Germans, from the High Command to the common soldier. This is a fascinating, and yet at times harrowing account, and acts as a salutary reminder of the sacrifice made by these brave men. Recommended.
