Evocative contemporary imagery sourced from world famous archives, such as the Imperial War Museum. Eye-witness accounts taken from recorded interviews of those who survived the horror of the various battles from 1914-18. Max Arthur is a best-selling author of contemporary accounts of both World Wars, and a superb researcher of original material of the Great War itself.

Max Arthur is rightly seen as one of Britain's leading oral historians of the Great War, having collected first-hand accounts of survivors from Britain's armed services, and allowed their stories to be told to a wider audience. Max has written several bestselling oral history books about twentieth century history in war - and peace-time. He writes for The Independent and lectures on strategy and leadership. Max's previous books include "Last Post", "Forgotten Voices of the Great War", "A History of the Victoria Cross", and "Lost Voices of the Edwardians". He lives in London.

Acknowledgements Author's Preface Foreword by Ian Hislop 1914: Mons, 1st Marne, 1st Ypres, Christmas Truce Europe tumbles into war. Austria and Germany declare war on Russia and France. German troops march into Belgium. Britain declares war on Germany. Britain mobilises the reserves. General Joffre approaches Paris. Germany's advance comes towards Dunkirk halted in Belgium at Ypres. 1915: Neuve Chapelle, 2nd Ypres, Loos Home Front gears up for war. Allied offensive in Artois and Champagne. Casualty lists lengthen. Poison gas enters the war at Ypres. The french attack from Vimy Ridge to Arras. General Haig takes command of the British Expeditionary Force. 1916: Verdun , Somme, Thiepval The British Army goes over the top. Another endless year in the trenches. British fail to take the Somme. Casualty lists shock the Home Front. Maxim machine gunes hold the German line. The British attack between Combles and the Ancre Valley. 1917: 1st Arras, 3rd Ypres, Passchendaele, Cambrai Germany defends East and West Fronts. The Hindenberg Line defends the trenches. The Canadians capture Vimy Ridge. Britain attacks the Messines Ridge. Weather forces "bite and hold tactics". Germany faces defeat. 1918: German Breakthrough, Cantigny, Amiens, 2nd Arras Germany focuses on the Western Front and achieves the greatest advance since 1914. Villers-Bretonneux falls, and is retaken. Tanks fight tanks for the first time. German advances cause crisis for the Allies. Foch blocks an attack on Paris. America joins the war. Germany requests armistice. Index of contributors General index