The First World War cover art

The First World War

A Complete History

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The First World War

By: Martin Gilbert
Narrated by: Roger Clark
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About this listen

It was to be the war to end all wars, and it began at 11:15 on the morning of June 28, 1914, in an outpost of the Austro-Hungarian Empire called Sarajevo. It would officially end nearly five years later. Unofficially, however, it has never ended: Many of the horrors we live with today are rooted in the First World War.

The Great War left millions of civilians and soldiers maimed or dead. It also saw the creation of new technologies of destruction: tanks, planes, and submarines; machine guns and field artillery; poison gas and chemical warfare. It introduced U-boat packs and strategic bombing, unrestricted war on civilians and mistreatment of prisoners. But the war changed our world in far more fundamental ways than these.

In its wake, empires toppled, monarchies fell, and whole populations lost their national identities. As political systems and geographic boundaries were realigned, the social order shifted seismically. Manners and cultural norms; literature and the arts; education and class distinctions; all underwent a vast sea change.

©1994 Martin Gilbert (P)2020 Tantor 20th Century Military Modern War Royalty Imperialism Interwar Period Submarine Russia U-Boat World History

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All stars
Most relevant
A fine book by a great historian. Although Mr Clark’s delivery leaves much to be desired, his biggest fault is his mispronunciation of the names of places, battles and people! How is it that his efforts were not checked by someone with even an elementary knowledge of the history being mangled. Sir Martin must be appalled?

A fine book spoilt by a poor narrator!

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Loved it, its the ultimate comprehensive history of the first world war, narrator is exceptional loved all 30+ hours of it.

Absolutely brilliant listening

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Intricate detail interwoven with hundreds of first hand accounts. An excellent and powerful description of the First World War.

Moving, emotional and incredibly thorough

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The book is long, but worth the time. Please don't be put off by the stilted reading style and unforgivable pronunciation errors e.g. Haig should be pronounced like hay - not high. Also it's the Sudetenland - not SudeNtenland!!!!!!!! The reader aside, the content is phenomenal.

Fantastic book. Very powerful, informed& authentic

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The lack investment in the work by the narrator is evident in the arbitrary and often bizarre pronunciations and inflections used particularly in the names of the main characters and locations. I listened at 1.2 speed in order to get through the pain. I would like to read the book but it will be sometime before I can see the name Haig without getting flashbacks.

Masterful work spoiled by unfortunate choice of narrator.

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