HISTORY OF WORLD WAR I

An Authentic Narrative of the World's Greatest War

by

Francis A. March and Richard J. Beamish

FOREWORD

This is a popular narrative history of the world's greatest war. Written frankly from the viewpoint of the United States and the Allies, it visualizes the bloodiest and most destructive conflict of all the ages from its remote causes to its glorious conclusion and beneficent results. The world­shaking rise of new democracies is set forth, and the enormous national and individual sacrifices producing that resurrection of human equality are detailed.

Two ideals have been before us in the preparation of this necessary work. These are simplicity and thoroughness. It is of no avail to describe the greatest of human events if the description is so confused that the reader loses interest. Thoroughness is an historical essential beyond price. So it is that official documents prepared in many instances upon the field of battle, and others taken from the files of the governments at war, are the basis of this work. Maps and photographs of unusual clearness and high authenticity illuminate the text. All that has gone into war making, into the regeneration of the world, are herein set forth with historical particularity. The stark horrors of Belgium, the blighting terrors of chemical warfare, the governmental restrictions placed upon hundreds of millions of civilians, the war sacrifices falling upon all the civilized peoples of earth, are in these pages.

It is a book that mankind can well read and treasure.

CONTENTS

I. A WAR FOR INTERNATIONAL FREEDOM       

II. THE WORLD SUDDENLY TURNED UPSIDE DOWN      

III. WHY THE WORLD WENT TO WAR  

IV. THE PLOTTER BEHIND THE SCENES

V. THE GREAT WAR BEGINS

VI. THE TRAIL OF THE BEAST IN BELGIUM

VII. THE FIRST BATTLE OF THE MARNE

VIII. JAPAN IN THE WAR   

IX. CAMPAIGN IN THE EAST

X. STRUGGLE FOR SUPREMACY ON THE SEA

XI. THE SUBLIME PORTE

XII. RESCUE OF THE STARVING

XIII. BRITANNIA RULES THE WAVES

XIV. NEW METHODS AND HORRORS OF WARFARE

XV. GERMAN PLOTS AND PROPAGANDA IN AMERICA

XVI. SINKING OF THE LUSITANIA

XVII. NEUVE CHAPELLE AND WAR IN BLOOD-SOAKED TRENCHES

XVIII. STEADFAST SOUTH AFRICA

XIX. ITALY DECLARES WAR ON AUSTRIA

XX. GLORIOUS GALLIPOLI

XXI. THE GREATEST NAVAL BATTLE IN HISTORY

XXII. THE RUSSIAN CAMPAIGN

XXIII. HOW THE BALKANS DECIDED

XXIV. THE CAMPAIGN IN MESOPOTAMIA

XXV. CANADA'S PART IN THE GREAT WAR

XXVI. IMMORTAL VERDUN

XXVII. MURDERS AND MARTYRS

XXVIII. THE SECOND BATTLE OF YPRES

XXIX. ZEPPELIN RAIDS ON FRANCE AND ENGLAND

XXX. RED REVOLUTION IN RUSSIA

XXXI. THE DESCENT TO BOLSHEVISM

XXXII. GERMANY'S OBJECT LESSON TO THE UNITED STATES

XXXIII. AMERICA TRANSFORMED BY WAR

XXXIV. HOW FOOD WON THE WAR

XXXV. THE UNITED STATES NAVY IN THE WAR

XXXVI. CHINA JOINS THE FIGHTING DEMOCRACIES

XXXVII. THE DEFEAT AND RECOVERY OF ITALY

XXXVIII. REDEMPTION OF THE HOLY LAND

XXXIX. AMERICA'S TRANSPORTATION PROBLEMS         

XL. SHIPS AND THE MEN WHO MADE THEM

XLI. GERMANY'S DYING DESPERATE EFFORT

XLII. CHATEAU-THIERRY, FIELD OF GLORY

XLIII. ENGLAND AND FRANCE STRIKE IN THE NORTH

XLIV. BELGIUM'S GALLANT EFFORT

XLV. ITALY'S TERRIFIC DRIVE

XLVI. BULGARIA DESERTS GERMANY

XLVII. THE CENTRAL EMPIRES WHINE FOR PEACE

XLVIII. BATTLES IN THE AIR

XLIX. HEALTH AND HAPPINESS OF THE AMERICAN FORCES

L. THE PIRATES OF THE UNDER-SEAS

LI. APPROACHING THE FINAL STAGE

LII. LAST DAYS OF THE WAR

LIII. THE DRASTIC TERMS OF SURRENDER

LIV. PEACE AT LAST

LV. AMERICA'S POSITION IN PEACE AND WAR

LVI. THE WAR BY YEARS

LVII. BEHIND AMERICA'S BATTLE LINE

LVIII. GENERAL PERSHING'S OWN STORY

LIX. PRESIDENT WILSON'S REVIEW OF THE WAR

      SUMMARIZED CHRONOLOGY OF THE WAR