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Bezig met laden... Artillery in the Great Wardoor Paul Strong
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Meld je aan bij LibraryThing om erachter te komen of je dit boek goed zult vinden. Op dit moment geen Discussie gesprekken over dit boek. One of the best books on the subject you'll likely to read. It is essentially a short history of WW I seen from an artillery perspective. Battles are described as artillery duels; infantry is mainly there to exploit the successes of the guns, or to be shot down in droves. Due to its scope, it only gives the main outlines, so don't expect a detailed discussion of, say, the fireplan of the attack on Passendaele. Still, it provides a thorough analysis and gives a good view on the events. The main focus is, of course, the Western Front, but the Russian, Middle Eastern, and Balkan fronts get some attention as well. Particularly the section on the Dardanelles, although very concise, is enlighthening about why the events played out the way they did. Another recurring theme is the importance of technology and the growing capabilities of the industry to produce heavy guns and reliable shells in sufficient quantities. If you have to read only one book on the subject, this should be it.
For the rest of the story I would have to say read and enjoy this well balanced book, see how the technologies changed as the war progressed, and even include the lessons learned by at least one German commander in the mountains of Italy, one Erwin Rommel. The lessons that were learned in WW1 went on to be practiced at an even greater pace later in WW2, and on to the present day.
Artillery was the decisive weapon of the Great War - it dominated the battlefields. Yet the history of artillery during the conflict has been neglected, and its impact on the fighting is inadequately understood. Paul Strong and Sanders Marble, in this important and highly readable study, seek to balance the account.Their work shows that artillery was central to the tactics of the belligerent nations throughout the long course of the conflict, in attack and in defense. They describe, in vivid detail, how in theory and practice the use of artillery developed in different ways among the opposing Geen bibliotheekbeschrijvingen gevonden. |
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Google Books — Bezig met laden... GenresDewey Decimale Classificatie (DDC)940.41History and Geography Europe Europe Military History Of World War I Operations And UnitsLC-classificatieWaarderingGemiddelde:
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The book opens with an introduction, with the authors contending that the use of artillery during this war had a major influence on the eventual outcome. They raise the large number of casualties inflicted on opposing armies by the use of artillery and the effects on morale of troops affected. Following the introduction is a prologue on the battle of Le Cateau in August 1914, and how artillery allowed II Corps to withdraw successfully.
The core of the book is divided into five chapters covering each of the five years of the war. Each chapter reviews the key events of that year paying particular attention to the role and use of artillery. There is a three page conclusion, which proposes the view that all the combatants adapted their tactics during the war, but that the British Army ended the war far more effective than the German Army in respect of artillery and the ‘most effective artillery force on the ‘Western Front.’
There are eight maps included at the front, which I found of limited value only, preferring to use a First World War atlas instead. There are some photographs included in the middle of the book, and in the text, the authors refer to some technical details although I do not consider this to be a technical book about the various types of artillery pieces and ammunition used in this war. The authors have included an extensive bibliography listing their primary (mainly personal accounts), secondary and other sources.
By its nature, this book provides an overview of the use of artillery during the First World War and an understanding of the effects of its use and the tactical and technical developments during the war. I found the conclusions non-contentious and slightly bland as I had formed my views in the reading of the main contents of the book.
Although this book may have limitations to some, it delivered what it set out to do and gave me a more informed view of the role of artillery during the First World War. Personally, I found the main benefit for me was in understanding why opinions formed about the use of artillery in the First World War persisted into the Second World War and the consequences of that thinking. ( )