truthergw Posted 16 October , 2005 Share Posted 16 October , 2005 I've put Sheffield & Bourne's " Douglas Haig " aside for a bit to inwardly digest. In the meantime, I thought I'd go back to an old favourite. I had forgotten just how good this is. Always scrupulous in his references and heaps of appendices in the back for the " just the facts, ma'am " folks amongst us. The book itself though reads like a novel. A real page turner. Forget the Da Vinci Code, when you are sitting in the French GHQ waiting for the latest reports, that's real excitement. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squirrel Posted 17 October , 2005 Share Posted 17 October , 2005 Couldn't agree more- superb book and the detail is quite astounding. What comes across is the way the French nearly "psyched" themselves out of the war and Joffre getting some of his Generals by the scruff of the neck to do what he wanted. Also a lot of the "over imaginative" and "we're doomed" reasoning at all levels both French and British. Shows how minds work when there is no definitive intelligence on which to base ideas both the positive and the negative. Too much of the latter in some cases. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul guthrie Posted 17 October , 2005 Share Posted 17 October , 2005 Have read this 3 times. It's amazing how good it is and available in cheap paperback! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spike10764 Posted 18 October , 2005 Share Posted 18 October , 2005 I'd like to endorse the above posts- marvellous book with some amazing insights. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ciaran Byrne Posted 21 October , 2005 Share Posted 21 October , 2005 I've got this book at home, bought it ages ago and still haven't read it. I have heard its required reading for anyone into World War One. Some have stated that Spears saved the British Army from being anihalited at Mons. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Dunlop Posted 21 October , 2005 Share Posted 21 October , 2005 It is a truly superb book. The drama that is aroused - few authors can achieve this. It is an overstatement to say that Spears saved the BEF at Mons. Although Sir John French was more minded to push on, Haig had recognised the major threat posed by the BEF's exposed right flank. Accordingly, 1st Corps were stretched back, thereby refusing that flank. Spear's feedback about Lanrezac's intentions was very timely. But not life-saving IMHO. Robert Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bradley Posted 22 October , 2005 Share Posted 22 October , 2005 was spiers the man featured in the great war series ??????? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
armourersergeant Posted 9 November , 2005 Share Posted 9 November , 2005 If anyone is interested there are a few copies available on ebay. I just got a copy myself. http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...me=STRK:MEWA:IT http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...me=STRK:MEWA:IT regards Arm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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