Passchendaele: The Untold Story by Robin Prior and Trevor Wilson - Book Report/Review Example

Passchendaele: The Untold Story by Robin Prior and Trevor Wilson Introduction Of most of the battles that the British armies fought in the First World War, none has excited controversy or has been used to symbolize that appalling character of the fights on the western front than the battle in Passchendaele. This battle is officially known as the Third Battle of Ypres. There is now a wide range of archival sources and developments of perspectives that have benefited from the passage of time. Depending on the side of the scholar, most writers who have written on this battle have always presented a subjective view of the events, the battle, the war and the politics that was involved. It took a while before most of the people who have researched on the war started offering views that were not biased. Several scholars now have the ability to review this battle with an objective and clear mind. One such effort is by Robin Prior and Trevor Wilson in their collaborative effort presented in the book Passchendaele: The Untold Story. This book has been said to shed some light on the numerous problems and the high policy that the British army faced in Flanders during their struggles in the second half of 1917. Presenting their versions in a clearly critical prose and what would be considered an objective review, the authors have attempted to analyze the Passchendaele campaign in the best and chronological way they could. The authors have analyzed and examined the numerous aspects of the operation. All the information is objective, there are no kind words for the military command that came up with the strategies to promote and execute the plan; there are also no kind words for the civilian policy makers who were involved in the execution of the plan too. It analyzes the strengths of the British armies as of that time, explains what would have worked for them and what would not and also makes suggestions on how the people making the plans ought to have reacted depending on the situations and how the circumstances changed. This book not only gives a critical review of a historical aspect of the First World War but it does so with the intricate style of a novel. Intentions of the Author The authors come out clearly to apportion blame where it is intended and present alternatives that would have worked. For instance, the behavior of Lloyd George is presented as unpardonable because of his belief from the outset that the proposed operation to clear the Belgian coast would be as unsuccessful as the previous attacks that had been carried out in the western front (123). The authors are of the opinion that he should have insisted that the British forces remained on the defensive until the American forces arrived, or he would have spurred Haig to come up with a modest plan that was within the ability of the army. The sharpest criticism is however reserved for Sir Douglass Haig, whose insistence launched the Flanders campaign and on whose persistence the British forces marched to their defeat (234). He believed that the German army was not as strong, and as such the British forces would be able to breach the enemy lines, sweep across the western side of Belgium and eventually capture Zeebrugge and Ostend. It is the contention of the authors that there was no justification or any signal that the German army was declining. As a consequence therefore, there was no reason, strategic or otherwise, for which he could have pushed the campaign with the knowledge that he had as of that time. Haig’s plans may have been good and glorious for the British Empire had they won. One thing that was clear throughout the campaign however was that they lacked the way, and as the campaign progressed, they lost their will too. The book clearly illustrates this. They also do not think as they state in the book, that the British army had the necessary means to enable them carry out the Haig’s grandiose plans. The book also questions the intentions of Haig’s judgment for him to allow the battle to continue even after it was apparent that the advance that had been envisaged was clearly unachievable. Several of Haig’s admirers, in their own assessment of the battle have always maintained that Passchendaele wore down the German forces through attrition. The authors however note that, in fact, the battle was one major defeat that cost the twelve divisions and Haig, it weakened the morale of the British army and this was probably what delayed the victory that they would have inanely had. The authors therefore contend that this could have been averted. As they probably intended, the objective view that the authors present their story is more historical and retrospective than several other works that have discussed. In this way, they effectively relay their sentiments on the war. It is not all gloom. They do illustrate the strengths of the British army, and strategic plans that may have worked out for them had they opted for other modes of attack. In this way, this book comes out more as a review of a particular battle than the criticism of the defeat that occurred at the Third Battle of Ypres. It deviates from the general styles of writing historical accounts by immersing the reader into the war. The authors have categorically refuted claims that were hitherto accepted beliefs about the war at every stage. This they have done with the support of several documents and collections in Australia and Britain. The book also has a collection of meticulously researched studies on the British army. In their own style, Prior and Wilson have managed to blend the tedious and colorless nature of such studies and the grim facts, with the emotive force that is only witnessed in a novel. As it is, it is clearly the most perceptive and comprehensive account of Passchendaele that has been written so far. Most of the previous works were mainly opinions of this encounter. The clarity and balance that the book brings gives a better picture of a battle whose name has been associated with the supposed futility that cannot be divorced from war and evokes horror when it is mentioned. The book therefore appeals to both the historical scholar and the reader who is just interested in the events of the First World War. Given that it is carefully and excellently researched, the authors have managed to present a dispassionate history of the campaign of Passchendaele. This, while increasing the readers knowledge in history, it also integrates the power of politics and the intricacies of war. Conclusion It is worth noting that the thorough use of the original sources about the battle and a masterly account that is clearly supported by maps illustrated Sir Douglass Haig’s extremely harmful and dangerous campaign. For its perceptive account, the book not only manages to give a comprehensive history lesson, it also captures the agonizing pain of the soldiers and the measured undertones of politics in play and leads the reader to his own conclusions on the battle. Through their writing, Prior and Wilson manage to present a monumental scholastic resource, with a solid grasp of the issues that were involved in the First World War. It is a good read for the policy makers, the civilian and the soldier who follows the commands of the higher ups. The history is well written, well researched and is probably a foundation for several historical debates that would take place over the several years that will unfold. This is helped by the fact that both the authors are good and distinguished historians and therefore their work in Passchendaele: The Untold Story is not only provocative but also very authoritative. It is my belief therefore that this would be a very good recommendation to any person. It is also my belief that the authors should be commended for their balanced convincing and balanced work that not only reveals the devastations of war, particularly the First World War but also the failure by political and military leaders to recognize such horrors. Works Cited Robin Prior and Trevor Wilson Passchendaele: The Untold Story (Carlton North: Scribe Publications, 2003) Read More