Britain's Two World Wars against Germany: Myth, Memory and the Distortions of Hindsight [Hardcover]

This title challenges popular views of the First World War as catastrophic and futile and the Second World War as a well-conducted and victorious moral crusade.Leading military historian Brian Bond challenges popular views of the First World War as catastrophic and futile and the Second World War as a well-conducted and victorious moral crusade. He shows that in a number of important respects Britain was more successful in the First World War than in the Second.Leading military historian Brian Bond challenges popular views of the First World War as catastrophic and futile and the Second World War as a well-conducted and victorious moral crusade. He shows that in a number of important respects Britain was more successful in the First World War than in the Second.Britain's role and performance in the two World Wars continues to generate considerable debate but the wars are rarely considered together. Leading military historian Brian Bond here challenges the popular view of the First World War as catastrophic and futile in contrast to the Second World War as a well-conducted and victorious moral crusade. He focuses on the key issues which have caused controversy and distortion, to demonstrate how these views became deeply rooted in popular culture in the years since 1945. These issues range from policy and strategy, combat experience, the attritional strategies of naval blockade and strategic bombing to British generalship, and gains and losses in the aftermath of both wars. He also considers the learning process of the British Army in both world wars. He boldly concludes that in a number of important respects Britain was more successful in the First World War than in the Second.Introduction; 1. The creation of myths after 1945; 2. British policy and strategy in the two world wars; 3. British generalship in the two world wars; 4. At the sharp end: combat experience in the two world wars; 5. Attrition in the First World War: the naval blockade; 6. Attrition in the Seconlƒ0