Enduring the Great War

Zusammenfassung This unique account of how German and British soldiers endured the horror of the First World War argues that at the heart of armies' robustness lay natural human resilience. It explains why the British outlasted their opponents by examining and comparing German and British soldiers' motivation! morale and coping mechanisms.

Auteur

Alexander Watson is a Research Fellow at Clare Hall, University of Cambridge.

Texte du rabat

A comparative history of how German and British soldiers endured the horror of the First World War.

Contenu

Introduction; 1. War of endurance; 2. Why men fought: combat motivation in the trenches; 3. Self-deception and survival: mental coping strategies; 4. Junior leadership: command, cohesion and combat motivation; 5. Morale and military endurance; 6. The German collapse in 1918: strike, mutiny or an ordered surrender?; Conclusion; Appendix 1. Walter Ludwig's study of Württemberg soldiers' coping strategies; Appendix 2. Psychiatric casualties in the German and British armies; Appendix 3. Military ranks and status in the German and British armies.