The World Crisis, Vol. 1 cover art

The World Crisis, Vol. 1

1911-1914

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About this listen

The first in a five-volume set of essential listening that examines the causes of the Great War.

This, the first in Sir Winston Churchill's five-volume history examining the events and context leading up to the outbreak of World War I from a true insider's point of view, is unsurpassed as both a historical and personal account of the earth-shaking events leading up to The Great War.

Churchill's epic series begins in 1911, when Churchill was First Lord of the Admiralty, and opens with a chilling description of the Agadir Crisis and an in-depth account of naval clashes in the Dardanelles - one of Churchill's major military failures. It takes listeners from the fierce bloodshed of the Gallipoli campaign to the tragic sinking of the Lusitania and the tide-turning battles of Jutland and Verdun - as well as the USA's entry into the combat theater.

Written in powerful prose by a great leader who would also go on to receive a Nobel Prize in Literature, and based on thousands of his own personal letters and memos, The World Crisis provides a perspective you won't find anywhere else: a dynamic insider's account of events that would shape the outcome of modern history.

Public Domain (P)2019 Blackstone Audio, Inc. Europe Military World War Winston Churchill Imperialism Interwar Period Middle Ages United Kingdom
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Why listen to Churchill? He has gone out of fashion partly due to superficial readings of his behavior e.g. concerning the Bengal famine in 1943. However, Prof. Andrew Roberts in his excellent biography (also on Audible) shows how complex that particular issue actually was.
Not only does WSC make intelligible the political dramas 1911-14 & then the first 4 months of WW1 (1914-1918) intelligible -- to me for 1st time -- it reveals what a brilliant person he was. He combined a thoroughness as an administrator, amounting to genius, with great lucidity. The Wikipedia review of the six volumes making up 'The World Crisis' shows it is regarded as his finest work; if you like stirring texts, then try this.
On the other hand, if you are not interested in the details of naval history, this book might bore you; but hopefully it would awaken -- as it did for me -- at least some interest in how the different elements of the fleet fit together; until I heard this, that was a book with seven seals.
No WSC wasn't WOKE, but he was extremely fair. The reading makes the work come alive whereas if I had read it as a book it surely would not have done.

Brilliant bk & regarded as his magnum opus

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I enjoyed this immensely. Fascinating to learn about Churchill’s contribution in WW1. As lord of the admiralty particular attention is paid to the naval war and strategy. He discusses how decisions were made and explores counter-factuals. So interesting to get the first hand account of someone intimate with events. The writing is first class.

Superb

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