The Great War Illustrated 1914: Archive and Colour Photographs of WWI

This is an amazing addition to any WWI library, and even standing alone serves as an excellent history of the war. Over a thousand black-and-white photos, and a hundred color photos, tell the story of this first year in intimate and immediate detail. Each photo is captioned, and many explanatory notes carry the narrative forward. This volume covers the first year of the war (other volumes are forthcoming), starting with portraits of the notable world leaders and the national entanglements that drew in all of Europe. Further sections group mobilization of the different armies as well as the war effort at home; religious attitudes and the role of the churches; the start of hostilities; the battles of Mons; First Marne; First Ypres; and naval battles. The last section covers the trenches and the Christmas truce.

Amazing is simply the only word to describe this book, but which doesn’t nearly do it justice. Casualty numbers and statistics become human again in these photos. Collected from all combatants – British, French, Belgian, German – it is balanced and neutral, not trying to paint in strokes of hero vs. villain, but showing the humanity of all involved. Although the Eastern Front is not represented, this tells an encompassing and engrossing tale of the first year of the War.