The First World War was truly global in scope. This study offers a comprehensive examination of the conflict’s geopolitical origins and the numerous subsidiary campaigns that unfolded far beyond the Western Front. It highlights the war’s extensive geographical reach, involving states whose territories never directly witnessed fighting, and provides illuminating portraits of the political and military leaders whose decisions shaped the course of the conflict—often in ways that defied logic and sound judgment. This book is essential reading for anyone seeking to understand how major conflicts emerge, the futility that so often defines them, and the importance of learning from history.
