The Somme: The Darkest Hour On The Western Front (2005)

Book Info

Author

Peter Hart

Genre

History & Biography

Rating

3.82 of 5 Votes: 3

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ISBN

1605980161 (ISBN13: 9781605980164)

Language

English

Publisher

Pegasus

Shops

Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble

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About book The Somme: The Darkest Hour On The Western Front (2005)

Here's an Armistice Day sentiment:Like anyone, I can think that each generation seems increasingly less prone to sacrifice and discipline. Yet completing this engaging book on The Battle of the Somme, I am so glad that we are too self indulgent to obediently march into our own abattoir for a pocketful of incoherent abstractions like they did 100 years ago. This is much more humane. Just one more thing to thank the Boomers for! Using the Imperial War Museum's Oral History Collection, Peter Hart pieces together the worm's eye view of the Somme, including astounding and heartbreaking judgments like Capt. Philip Pilditch's (C Battery, 235th Brigade, Royal Field Artillery, 47th Div): "I am convinced that the at the end there will be nothing but an enormous barrage of shells on both sides and that whichever side has the last few infantry to face it will win. That is if both sides don't get nerve shattered to death before and give in from pure exhaustion and hatred of it all."