Mud, Blood and Poppycock: Britain and the Great War

Gordon Corrigan

Orion, Dec 20, 2012 - History - 448 pages

The true story of how Britain won the First World War.

The popular view of the First World War remains that of BLACKADDER: incompetent generals sending brave soldiers to their deaths. Alan Clark quoted a German general's remark that the British soldiers were 'lions led by donkeys'. But he made it up.

Indeed, many established 'facts' about 1914-18 turn out to be myths woven in the 1960s by young historians on the make. Gordon Corrigan's brilliant, witty history reveals how out of touch we have become with the soldiers of 1914-18. They simply would not recognize the way their generation is depicted on TV or in Pat Barker's novels.

Laced with dry humour, this will overturn everything you thought you knew about Britain and the First World War. Gordon Corrigan reveals how the British embraced technology, and developed the weapons and tactics to break through the enemy trenches.

About the author

The author was commissioned from the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst in 1962 and retired from the Brigade of Gurkhas in 1998. A member of the British Commission for Military History and a Fellow of the Royal Asiatic Society, he speaks fluent Nepali and is a keen horseman.

Bibliographic information

• Title: Mud, Blood and Poppycock: Britain and the Great War; Cassel Military
• Author: Gordon Corrigan
• Publisher: Orion, 2012
• ISBN: 1780225547, 9781780225548
• Length: 448 pages
• Subjects: History / Military / General; History / Wars & Conflicts / World War I