Horror and banalities in captain’s First World War diaries - Local stories - Yorkshire Post

Review of a newly published diary.

Captain Hepper’s Great War Diary covers the period from January 1916 to January 1919 and deals mainly with his experiences of trench warfare with the 17th Battalion of the West Yorkshire Regiment.

The personal account of Captain Raymond Hepper’s war details daily routines as well as times of fear and killing.

His son, Nigel Hepper, who has transcribed the diaries, said: “Much of a soldiers’ time was taken up waiting for action – and then getting too much all at once.”

Horror and banalities in captain’s First World War diaries - Local stories - Yorkshire Post

Book Review: The Russian Origins of the First World War - WSJ.com

WSJ reviews Sean McMeekin’s The Russian Origins of the First World War (Amazon link here).

The reviewer concludes,

Mr. McMeekin rightly claims that for too long World War I historians have not paid enough attention to the importance of Russian imperialist ambitions in the war's origins. But his well-written attempt to compensate goes too far in the other direction, by stating that "the current consensus about the First World War cannot survive serious scrutiny." As he makes clear, the Russian establishment acted as recklessly as its counterparts in Berlin and Vienna, followed closely by those in Paris, London and other capitals. There is plenty of blame to go around.

Serious scrutiny increases I bet (hence this blog) as 2014 comes upon us.  I suspect conventional thinking on Germany (and Kaiser Bill) sticks.

But the scrutiny’s fascinating stuff and WW1 explains the roots of much world’s still mopping up today.  Bring the debate on.

Update: A review over at Foreign Affairs.

Books, Inq. — The Epilogue: World War I - Excellent Review

A link to a review of David Stevenson's history of the closing stages of the First World War Books, Inq. — The Epilogue: World War I - Excellent Review

A link to the book here.