Following the early battles of 1914 along the Marne and in the Ypres salient, World War I rapidly changed from a war of movement into one of attrition, with the opposing sides entrenching themselves in a line of fortified positions from the Flanders coastline to the Swiss border. This volume details the different styles of fortification used on the Western Front throughout the course of the war, from the early ditches of 1914 to the complicated systems of 1918. It explains the development of the 'defence in depth' German system and the British reaction to it, as well as illustrating the importance of the pre-war forts, particularly around Verdun.
Paddy Griffith, illustrated by Peter Dennis
Following the early battles of 1914 along the Marne and in the Ypres salient, World War I rapidly changed from a war of movement into one of attrition, with the opposing sides entrenching themselves in a line of fortified positions from the Flanders coastline to the Swiss border. This volume details the different styles of fortification used on the Western Front throughout the course of the war, from the early ditches of 1914 to the complicated systems of 1918. It explains the development of the 'defence in depth' German system and the British reaction to it, as well as illustrating the importance of the pre-war forts, particularly around Verdun.
Paddy Griffith, illustrated by Peter Dennis
Introduction; Chronology; Operational History; The Principles of Defence; Tour of a Trench System; Life in a Trench; Design and Development; Aftermath; The Sites Today; Bibliography; Glossary; Index
Paddy Griffith is a freelance military historian based in
Manchester. His groundbreaking books on low-level tactics include
Forward Into Battle (1981 and 1990), Battle Tactics of the Civil
War (1986) and Battle Tactics of the Western Front (1994). He has
also written extensively on wargames, and is currently active in
the South Manchester Tactical Society and in the Battlefields
Trust.
Peter Dennis was born in 1950 and, having been inspired by
contemporary magazines such as 'Look and Learn', studied
illustration at Liverpool Art College. He has since contributed to
hundreds of books, predominantly on historical subjects. He is a
keen wargamer and modelmaker.
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