1915: The Death of Innocence

The Death Of Innocence

Nonfiction, History, Military, World War I, Biography & Memoir, Historical
Cover of the book 1915: The Death of Innocence by Lyn Macdonald, Henry Holt and Co.
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: Lyn Macdonald ISBN: 9781466881099
Publisher: Henry Holt and Co. Publication: September 9, 2014
Imprint: Henry Holt and Co. Language: English
Author: Lyn Macdonald
ISBN: 9781466881099
Publisher: Henry Holt and Co.
Publication: September 9, 2014
Imprint: Henry Holt and Co.
Language: English

By Christmas 1915, the wild wave of enthusiasm that had sent men flocking to join up a few months earlier had begun to tail off, and though the Regulars of the original Expeditionary Force had suffered 90 percent casualties, most, particularly the soldiers themselves, still believed that 1915 would see the breaking of the deadlock. Their hopes were shattered on the bloody battlefields at Neuve Chapelle, at Ypres, at Loos, and far away on the shores of Gallipoli. Generals failed to understand the importance of heavy howitzers and machine guns, convinced that wars were won by the cavalry. They could not imagine a war in which hundreds of advancing troops could be wiped out in minutes by machine-gun fire. As disillusionment began to set in and grim resolve replaced easy optimism, innocence was among the casualties in the trenches that ran through the Flanders swamps.

The story of 1915 is stark, brutal, frank, sometimes painfully funny, always human. Above all, it is history from the ground up, told from the point of view of the men themselves. Never before has any writer collected so many firsthand accounts of the experiences of ordinary soldiers, through diaries, letters, and interviews with survivors--and it is the dogged heroism and sardonic humor of the soldiers that shine through the pages of Lyn Macdonald's epic narrative. 1915: The Death of Innocence is a uniquely compelling blend of military history and poignant memories of the fighters who survived the ordeal.

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

By Christmas 1915, the wild wave of enthusiasm that had sent men flocking to join up a few months earlier had begun to tail off, and though the Regulars of the original Expeditionary Force had suffered 90 percent casualties, most, particularly the soldiers themselves, still believed that 1915 would see the breaking of the deadlock. Their hopes were shattered on the bloody battlefields at Neuve Chapelle, at Ypres, at Loos, and far away on the shores of Gallipoli. Generals failed to understand the importance of heavy howitzers and machine guns, convinced that wars were won by the cavalry. They could not imagine a war in which hundreds of advancing troops could be wiped out in minutes by machine-gun fire. As disillusionment began to set in and grim resolve replaced easy optimism, innocence was among the casualties in the trenches that ran through the Flanders swamps.

The story of 1915 is stark, brutal, frank, sometimes painfully funny, always human. Above all, it is history from the ground up, told from the point of view of the men themselves. Never before has any writer collected so many firsthand accounts of the experiences of ordinary soldiers, through diaries, letters, and interviews with survivors--and it is the dogged heroism and sardonic humor of the soldiers that shine through the pages of Lyn Macdonald's epic narrative. 1915: The Death of Innocence is a uniquely compelling blend of military history and poignant memories of the fighters who survived the ordeal.

More books from Henry Holt and Co.

Cover of the book Melody Burning by Lyn Macdonald
Cover of the book The New York Times Essential Library: Opera by Lyn Macdonald
Cover of the book The New York Times Living History: World War II: The Allied Counteroffensive, 1942-1945 by Lyn Macdonald
Cover of the book Fat, Fat Rose Marie by Lyn Macdonald
Cover of the book Marx's General by Lyn Macdonald
Cover of the book The Last Cheater's Waltz by Lyn Macdonald
Cover of the book The Black-Eyed Blonde by Lyn Macdonald
Cover of the book Bigger, Badder, Nerdier by Lyn Macdonald
Cover of the book Victory at Yorktown by Lyn Macdonald
Cover of the book The Tyranny of Dead Ideas by Lyn Macdonald
Cover of the book Andrew Johnson by Lyn Macdonald
Cover of the book The Race by Lyn Macdonald
Cover of the book The Barefoot Lawyer by Lyn Macdonald
Cover of the book Nemesis by Lyn Macdonald
Cover of the book The Age of Deception by Lyn Macdonald
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy