THE ROAD TO VERDUN: WORLD WAR I'S MOST MOMENTOUS BATTLE AND THE FOLLY OF NATIONALISM BY IAN OUSBY

Softcover in good condition.

Anchor Books.

2003.

393 pages.

on February 21 1916, the Germans launched a surprise offensive at Verdun, an important fortress in northeastern France, sparking a brutal and protracted conflict that would claim more than 700,000 victims. The carnage had little impact on the course of the war, and Verdun ultimately came to symbolize the absurdity and horror of trench warfare.

Ian Ousby offers a radical reevaluation of this cataclysmic battle, arguing that the French bear tremendous responsibility for the senseless slaughter. He shows how the battle's roots lay in the Franco-Prussian war and how its legacy helped lay the groundwork for World War II. Meging intellectual substance with superb battle writing.

The Road to Verdun is a moving and  account of the most important battles of the twentieth century.