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History of the World War

by Francis A. March

By Francis A. March · History · Public domain

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History of the World War is a public-domain classic of history by Francis A. March.

The complete text is on this page and the chapter pages below — all 95 chapters, about 227,561 words (~19 hours of reading), free to read online with no signup. Chapters include “Chapter Xxv. Canada's Part in the Great War”, “Chapter Xxvi. Immortal Verdun”, “Chapter Xxvii. Murders and Martyrs”, and more.

History of the World War at a glance

Author
Francis A. March
Length
227,561 words · about 19 hours to read
Chapters
95
Price
Free — public domain

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Read History of the World War online — full text

Chapter Xxv. Canada's Part in the Great War

By COL. GEORGE G. NASMITH, C. M. G. Enthusiastic Response to the Call to Action--Valcartier Camp a Splendid Example of the Driving Power of Sir Sam Hughes--Thirty-three Liners Cross the Atlantic with First Contingent of Men and Equipment--Largest Convoy Ever Gathered Together--At the Front with the Princess Pat's--Red Cross--Financial Aid--Half a Million Soldiers Overseas--Mons, the Last Stronghold of the Enemy, Won by the Men from Canada--A Record of Glory

Chapter Xxvi. Immortal Verdun

Grave of the Military Reputations of Von Falkenhayn and the Crown Prince--Hindenburg's Warning--Why the Germans Made the Disastrous Attempt to Capture the Great Fortress--Heroic France Reveals Itself to the World--"They Shall Not Pass"--Nivelle's Glorious Stand on Dead Man Hill--Lord Northcliffe's Description--A Defense Unsurpassed in the History of France

Chapter Xxvii. Murders and Martyrs

The Case of Edith Cavell--Nurse Who Befriended the Helpless, Dies at the Hands of the Germans--Captain Fryatt's Martyrdom--How Germany Sowed the Seeds of Disaster

Chapter Xxviii. the Second Battle of Ypres

The Canadians in Action--Undismayed by the New Weapon of the Enemy--Holding the Line Against Terrific Odds--Men from the Dominion Fight Like Veterans

Chapter Xxix. Zeppelin Raids on France and England

First Zeppelin Attack Kills Twenty-eight and Injures Forty-four--Part of Germany's Policy of Frightfulness--Raids by German Airplanes on Unfortified Towns--Killing of Non-Combatants--The British Lion Awakes--Anti-Aircraft Precautions and Protections--Policy of Terrorism Fails

Chapter Xxx. Red Revolution in Russia

Rasputin, the Mystic--The Cry for Bread--Rise of the Council of Workmen's and Soldiers' Delegates--Rioting in Petrograd--The Threatening Cloud of Disaster--Moderate Policy of the Duma Fails--The Fatal Easter Week of 1917--Abdication of the Czar--Last Tragic Moments of the Autocrat of All the Russias--Grand Duke Issues Declaration Ending Power of Romanovs in Russia--Release of Siberian Revolutionists--Free Russia

Chapter Xxxi. the Descent to Bolshevism

Russia Intoxicated with Freedom--Elihu Root and His Mission--Last Brilliant Offensive in Galicia--The Great Mutiny in the Army--The Battalion of Death--Kerensky's Skyrocket Career--Kornilov's Revolt--Loss of Riga--Lenine, the Dictator--The Impossible "Peace" of Brest-Litovsk

Chapter Xxxii. Germany's Object Lesson to the United States

Two Voyages of the Deutschland--U-53 German Submarine Reaches Newport and Sinks Five British and Neutral Steamers off Nantucket--Rescue of Survivors by United States Warships--Anti-German Feeling in America Reaching a Climax

Chapter Xxxiii. America Transformed by War

The United States Enters the Conflict--The Efficiency of Democracy-- Six Months in an American Training Camp Equal to Six Years of German Compulsory Service--American Soldiers and Their Resourcefulness on the Battlefield--Methods of Training and Their Results-- The S. A. T. C.

Chapter Xxxiv. How Food Won the War

The American Farmer a Potent Factor in Civilization's Victory--Scientific Studies of Food Production, Distribution and Consumption--Hoover Lays Down the Law Regulating Wholesalers and Grocers--Getting the Food Across--Feeding Armies in the Field

Chapter Xxxv. the United States Navy in the War

Increase from 58,000 Men to Approximately 500,000--Destroyer Fleet Arrives in British Waters--"We Are Ready Now"--The Hunt of the U-Boats--Gunnery that is Unrivalled--Depth Charges and Other New Inventions--The U-Boat Menace Removed--Surrender of German Under-Sea Navy

Chapter Xxxvi. China Joins the Fighting Democracies

How the Germans Behaved in China Seventeen Years Before--The Whirligig of Time Brings Its Own Revenge--The Far Eastern Republic Joins Hands with the Allies--German Propaganda at Work--Futile Attempt to Restore the Monarchy--Fear of Japan--War--Thousands of Chinese Toil Behind the Battle Lines in France--Siam with Its Eight Millions Defies the Germans--End of Teuton Influence in the Orient

Chapter Xxxvii. the Defeat and Recovery of Italy

Subtle Socialist Gospel Preached by Enemy Plays Havoc with Guileless Italians--Sudden Onslaught of Germans Drives Cadorna's Men from Heights--The Spectacular Retreat that Dismayed the World--Glorious Stand of the Italians on the Piave--Rise of Diaz

Chapter Xxxviii. Redemption of the Holy Land

A Long Campaign Progressing Through Hardships to Glory--General Allenby Enters Jerusalem on Foot--Turkish Army Crushed in Palestine-- Battle of Armageddon

Chapter Xxxix. America's Transportation Problems

Government Ownership of Railroads, Telegraphs, Telephones--Getting the Men from Training Camps to the Battle Fronts--From Texas to Toul--A Gigantic System Working Without a Hitch

Chapter Xl. Ships and the Men Who Made Them

The Emergency Fleet Corporation--Charles M. Schwab as Master Shipbuilder--Hog Island the Wonder Shipyard of the World--An Unbeatable Record--Concrete Ships--Wooden Ships--Standardizing the Steel Ship--Attitude of Labor in the War--Samuel Gompers an Unofficial Member of the Cabinet--Great Task of the United States Employment Service

Chapter Xli. Germany's Dying Desperate Effort

The High Tide of German Success--An Army of Six Million Men Flung Recklessly on the Allies--Most Terrific Battles in all History--The Red Ruin of War from Arras to St. Quentin--Amiens Within Arms' Reach of the Invaders--Paris Bombarded by Long-Range Guns from Distance of Seventy-six Miles--A Generalissimo at Last--Marshal Foch in Supreme Command

Chapter Xlii. Chateau-Thierry, Field of Glory

German Wave Stops with the Americans--Prussian Guard Flung Back--The Beginning of Autocracy's End--America's Record of Valor and Victory-- Cantigny--Belleau Wood--Thierry--St. Mihiel--Shock Troops of the Enemy Annihilated--Soldier's Remarkable Letter.

Chapter Xliii. England and France Strike in the North

Second Terrific Blow of General Foch--Lens, the Storehouse of Minerals, Captured--Bapaume Retaken--British Snap the Famous Hindenburg Line--The Great Thrust Through Cambrai--Tanks to the Front--Cavalry in Action

Chapter Xliv. Belgium's Gallant Effort

The Little Army Under King Albert Thrusts Savagely at the Germans--Ostend and Zeebrugge Freed from the Submarine Pirates--Pathetic Scenes as Belgians are Restored to Their Homes

Chapter Xlv. Italy's Terrific Drive

Enemy Offensive Opens on Front of Ninety-Seven Miles--Repulse of the Austrians--Italy Turns the Tables--Terrific Counter-Thrusts from the Piave to Trente--Forcing the Alpine Passages--Battles High in the Air--English, French and Americans Back up the Italians in Humbling the Might of Austria--D'Annunzio's Romantic Bombardment of Vienna--Diaz Leads his Men to Victory

Chapter Xlvi. Bulgaria Deserts Germany

Greece in the Throes of Revolution--Fall of Constantine--Serbians Begin Advance on Bulgars--Thousands of Prisoners Taken--Surrender of Bulgaria--Panic in Berlin--Passage Through the Country Granted for Armies of the Allies--Ferdinand Abdicates--Germany's Imagined Mittel-Europa Dream Forever Destroyed

Chapter Xlvii. the Central Empires Whine for Peace

Austria-Hungary Makes the First Plea--President Wilson's Abrupt Answer--Prince Max, Camouflaged as an Apostle of Peace, made Chancellor and Opens Germany's Pathetic Plea for a Peace by Negotiation--The President Replies on Behalf of all the Allied Powers--Foch Pushes on Regardless of Peace Notes

Chapter Xlviii. Battles in the Air

Conquering the Fear of Death--From Individual Fights to Battles Between Squadrons--Heroes of the Warring Nations--America's Wonderful Record--From Nowhere to First Place in Eighteen Months--The Liberty Motor

Chapter Xlix. Health and Happiness of the American Forces

Record of the Red Cross on all Fronts--A Gigantic Work Well Executed--Y. M. C. A.--Y. W. C. A.--Knights of Columbus--Jewish Welfare Association--Salvation Army--American Library Association--Other Organizations--Surgery and Sanitation

Chapter L. the Pirates of the Under-Seas

Germany's Ruthless Submarine Policy--A Boomerang Destroying the Hand that Cast It--Terrorism that Failed--One Hundred and Fifty U-Boats Sunk or Captured--Shameless Surrender of the German Submarines and of the Fleet They Protected

Chapter Li. Approaching the Final Stage

Cutting the Railroads to Cambrai--Americans Co-operate with British in Furious Attack--Douai and St. Quentin Taken--The Battle Line Straightened for the Last Mighty Assault--All Hope Abandoned by the Kaiser

Chapter Lii. Last Days of the War

American Troops Join with the Allies in Colossal Drive on 71-mile Front--Historic Sedan Taken by the Yanks--Stenay, the Last Battle of the War--How the Opposing Forces Greeted the News of the Armistice

Chapter Liii. the Drastic Terms of Surrender

Handcuffs for Four Nations--Bulgaria First to Fly the White Flag-- Allenby's Great Victory Forces Turkey Out--Austria Signs Quickly-- Germany's Capitulation Complete and Humiliating

Chapter Liv. Peace At Last

An Unfounded Rumor Starts Enormous Jubilation--Armistice Signed Four Days Later--Kaiser Abdicates and Flees to Holland--Cowardly Ruler Seeks Protection of Small Neutral Nation--Looking Into the Future--Cost of War to the Nations--Liberty Loans--Reconstruction Problems--McAdoo Resigns--American Ideals in the Old World

Chapter Lv. America's Position in Peace and War

President Wilson's Stirring Speech in Congress Which Brought the United States into the War--His Great Speech Before Congress Ending the War--The Fourteen Points Outlining America's Demands Before Peace Could be Concluded--Later Peace Principles Enunciated by the President

Chapter Lvi. the War by Years

Condensed Word-Picture of the Happenings of the Most Momentous Fifty-two Months in All History--Leading Up to the Eleventh Hour of the Eleventh Day of the Eleventh Month of 1918

Chapter Lvii. Behind America's Battle Line

General March's Story of the Work of the Military Intelligence Division--Of the War Plans Division--Of the Purchase and Traffic Divisions--How Men, Munitions and Supplies Reached the Western Front

Chapter Lviii. General Pershing's Own Story

The Commander-in-Chief of the American Expeditionary Forces Tells the Story of the Magnificent Combat Operations of his Troops that Defeated Prussia's Legions--Official Account Discloses Full Details of the Fighting.

Chapter Lix. President Wilson's Review of the War

A Year in the Life of the United States Crowded with Great Events--Tribute to the Soldiers and Sailors, the Workers at Home Who Supplied the Sinews of the Great Undertaking, the Women of the Land Who Contributed to the Great Result--The Future Safe in the Hands of American Businessmen

SUMMARIZED CHRONOLOGY OF THE WAR

FOREWORD

This is a popular narrative history of the world's greatest war. Written frankly from the viewpoint of the United States and the Allies, it visualizes the bloodiest and most destructive conflict of all the ages from its remote causes to its glorious conclusion and beneficent results. The world-shaking rise of new democracies is set forth, and the enormous national and individual sacrifices producing that resurrection of human equality are detailed.

Two ideals have been before us in the preparation of this necessary work. These are simplicity and thoroughness. It is of no avail to describe the greatest of human events if the description is so confused that the reader loses interest. Thoroughness is an historical essential beyond price. So it is that official documents prepared in many instances upon the field of battle, and others taken from the files of the governments at war, are the basis of this work. Maps and photographs of unusual clearness and high authenticity illuminate the text. All that has gone into war making, into the regeneration of the world, are herein set forth with historical particularity. The stark horrors of Belgium, the blighting terrors of chemical warfare, the governmental restrictions placed upon hundreds of millions of civilians, the war sacrifices falling upon all the civilized peoples of earth, are in these pages.

It is a book that mankind can well read and treasure.

CHAPTER I. A War for International Freedom

A WAR FOR INTERNATIONAL FREEDOM

"My FELLOW COUNTRYMEN: The armistice was signed this morning. Everything for which America fought has been accomplished. The war thus comes to an end."

Speaking to the Congress and the people of the United States, President Wilson made this declaration on November 11, 1918. A few hours before he made this statement, Germany, the empire of blood and iron, had agreed to an armistice, terms of which were the hardest and most humiliating ever imposed upon a nation of the first class. It was the end of a war for which Germany had prepared for generations, a war bred of a philosophy that Might can take its toll of earth's possessions, of human lives and liberties, when and where it will. That philosophy involved the cession to imperial Germany of the best years of young German manhood, the training of German youths to be killers of men. It involved the creation of a military caste, arrogant beyond all precedent, a caste that set its strength and pride against the righteousness of democracy, against the possession of wealth and bodily comforts, a caste that visualized itself as part of a power-mad Kaiser's assumption that he and God were to shape the destinies of earth.

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Contents — all 95 chapters

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