Produced by Project Gutenberg Distributed Proofreaders Team A SHORT HISTORY OF THE GREAT WAR BY A. F. POLLARD M.A., Litt.D. FELLOW OF ALL SOULS COLLEGE, OXFORD PROFESSOR OF ENGLISH HISTORY IN THE UNIVERSITY OF LONDON WITH NINETEEN MAPS METHUEN & CO. LTD. 36 ESSEX STREET W.C. LONDON First Published in 1920 CONTENTS CHAP. I. THE BREACH OF THE PEACE II. THE GERMAN INVASION III. RUSSIA MOVES IV. THE WAR ON AND BEYOND THE SEAS V. ESTABLISHING THE WESTERN FRONT VI. THE FIRST WINTER OF THE WAR VII. THE FAILURE OF THE ALLIED OFFENSIVE VIII. THE DEFEAT OF RUSSIA IX. THE CLIMAX OF GERMAN SUCCESS X. THE SECOND WINTER OF THE WAR XI. THE SECOND GERMAN OFFENSIVE IN THE WEST XII. THE ALLIED COUNTER-OFFENSIVE XIII. THE BALKANS AND POLITICAL REACTIONS XIV. THE TURN OF THE TIDE XV. HOPE DEFERRED XVI. THE BALANCE OF POWER XVII. THE EVE OF THE FINAL STRUGGLE XVIII. THE LAST GERMAN OFFENSIVE XIX. THE VICTORY OF THE ENTENTE XX. THE FOUNDATIONS OF PEACE INDEX LIST OF MAPS 1. THE GERMAN INVASION OF FRANCE 2. THE BATTLES OF THE AISNE 3. THE CAMPAIGNS IN ARTOIS 4. THE DARDANELLES 5. THE RUSSIAN FRONT 6. THE BALKANS 7. MESOPOTAMIA 8. THE CAUCASUS 9. THE ATTACK ON VERDUN 10. THE BATTLE OF THE SOMME 11. THE RUMANIAN CAMPAIGN 12. THE CONQUEST OF EAST AFRICA 13. THE BALTIC CAMPAIGNS 14. THE BATTLES IN FLANDERS 15. THE ITALIAN FRONT 16. THE BATTLES OF ARRAS AND CAMBRAI 17. THE LAST GERMAN OFFENSIVE 18. THE CONQUEST OF SYRIA 19. FOCH'S CAMPAIGN NOTE The manuscript of this book, except the last chapter, was finished on 21 May 1919, and the revision of the last chapter was completed in October. It may be some relief to a public, distracted by the apologetic deluge which has followed on the peace, to find how little the broad and familiar outlines of the war have thereby been affected.