War by Timetable (Library of 20th Century)

Taylor, A. J. P.

ISBN 10: 0356042065 / ISBN 13: 9780356042060

Published by Macdonald, 1972

The book has been read, but is in excellent condition. Pages are intact and not marred by notes or highlighting. The spine remains undamaged. Seller Inventory # GOR004635896

Synopsis:

War by Time-table is a history of the mobilization of the armies of the Great Powers in 1914. AJP Taylor not only argues that the circumstances were already set for a general war, (he may state in the opening pages of his First World War that Europe of the early 1910s was a peaceful looking place, nevertheless he knew about the figures of industrial production, colonial expansion, and territorial demands of the era) he also names the specific flaw in the war plans of the Great Powers (especially Germany) that, when ignited, would make the war unavoidable. All mobilization plans depended on railways. At that time the automobile was hardly used, certainly not as an instrument of mass transport, and railways demand time tables. All the mobilization plans had been timed to the minute, months or even years before and they could not be changed. Modification in one direction would ruin them in every other direction. Any attempt for instance by the Austrians to mobilize against Serbia would mean that they could not then mobilize against Russian because two lots of trains would be running against each other. The same problem was to arise later for the Russians and in the end for the Germans who, having a plan to

Bibliographic Details

Title: War by Timetable (Library of 20th Century)
Publisher: Macdonald
Publication Date: 1972
Binding: Paperback
Condition: Very Good