The Pity of War - BookWyrm

English language

Published Dec. 25, 1999

ISBN:: 978-0-465-05712-2

(1 review)

The Pity of War makes a simple and provocative argument: the human atrocity known as the Great War was entirely England's fault. According to Niall Ferguson, England entered into war based on naive assumptions of German aims, thereby transforming a Continental conflict into a world war, which it then badly mishandled, necessitating American involvement. The war was not inevitable, Ferguson argues, but rather was the result of the mistaken decisions of individuals who would later claim to have been in the grip of huge impersonal forces.

That the war was wicked, horrific, and inhuman is memorialized in part by the poetry of men like Wilfred Owen and Siegfried Sassoon, but also by cold statistics. Indeed, more British soldiers were killed in the first day of the Battle of the Somme than Americans in the Vietnam War. And yet, as Ferguson writes, while the war itself was a disastrous folly, the …

The Pity of War makes a simple and provocative argument: the human atrocity known as the Great War was entirely England's fault. According to Niall Ferguson, England entered into war based on naive assumptions of German aims, thereby transforming a Continental conflict into a world war, which it then badly mishandled, necessitating American involvement. The war was not inevitable, Ferguson argues, but rather was the result of the mistaken decisions of individuals who would later claim to have been in the grip of huge impersonal forces.

That the war was wicked, horrific, and inhuman is memorialized in part by the poetry of men like Wilfred Owen and Siegfried Sassoon, but also by cold statistics. Indeed, more British soldiers were killed in the first day of the Battle of the Somme than Americans in the Vietnam War. And yet, as Ferguson writes, while the war itself was a disastrous folly, the great majority of men who fought it did so with little reluctance and with some enthusiasm. For anyone wanting to understand why wars are fought, why men are willing to fight them and why the world is as it is today, there is no sharper or more stimulating guide than Niall Ferguson's The Pity of War.

3 editions

Sean Bala reviewed The Pity of War by Niall Ferguson

Review of 'The pity of war' on 'Goodreads'

4 stars

Nail Ferguson's "The Pity of War" is a profound work that tries to sift through the murky history of one of the most traumatizing events in modern history, the effects of which we still feel today. This is an excellent book that shows the real possibilities of history and historiography that should encourage encourage everyone to look at our history and the unfolding of world events differently.

The biggest asset of this book is that it seeks to destroy many of the deeply held myths of World War I. These include the ideas of German militarism, who was more effective in the execution of the war, and if the end of the war truly laid the groundwork for the next one. The central idea that he puts forward is a powerful one: nothing was inevitable and nearly all that we hold sacred about this war is incorrect or has been …

Nail Ferguson's "The Pity of War" is a profound work that tries to sift through the murky history of one of the most traumatizing events in modern history, the effects of which we still feel today. This is an excellent book that shows the real possibilities of history and historiography that should encourage encourage everyone to look at our history and the unfolding of world events differently.

The biggest asset of this book is that it seeks to destroy many of the deeply held myths of World War I. These include the ideas of German militarism, who was more effective in the execution of the war, and if the end of the war truly laid the groundwork for the next one. The central idea that he puts forward is a powerful one: nothing was inevitable and nearly all that we hold sacred about this war is incorrect or has been twisted. More importantly, he places the blame for the war squarely on shoulders of one nation: Britain.

There are two methods that I think make Nail Ferguson one of the strongest historians today. The first is his utilization of economics in his works. While I believe at times he overemphasizes this sort of proof at the expense of individual motivations and factors, in general he strikes a fine balance between economics and individuals. The second method is Ferguson's use of counter-factual or alternate history as a tool of understanding. By examining the possibilities of history, we can come to the conclusion of the fragility of events and the idea that nothing can be said to be inevitable.

My only objection to the work is that at times, I find that Ferguson's politics and own economic beliefs come through and can seem imposed on a situation. His tone can veer towards pettiness, especially when he targets one of his favorite straw men: John Maynard Keynes. Despite these small flaws, I recommend this book for any serious student of history and look forward to reading more by this author.