World War 1 Resource Guide, page 2

Print resources

The following items are a selection of key printed materials available in the Library.  Items with a call number beginning with B, R, or LT are on the open shelves. Other items need to be ordered through our online catalogue. These items will then be retrieved from storage and delivered to the book collection points in the La Trobe Reading Room or the Information Centre. Some original or rare items may be delivered to the Heritage Collections Reading Room.

The official history of Australia in the war of 1914-1918, C.E.W. Bean et al
LT / SLT  940.40994 B370
Multi-volume foundation study, first published 1921-1942, describing day-by-day military operations, with maps and photographs. Deals with  ANZAC, the AIF in France; Sinai and Palestine; Rabaul; the Australian Flying Corps; the Royal Australian Navy and Australia during the war. Volume 12 gives a photographic record of the war. 

Almanac of World War I, David Burg & L. Edward Purcell
R 940.30202 B91A
Day-by-day account of the action on all fronts, with background to the war, biographies, topical descriptions, maps and illustrations.

The First World War, Martin Gilbert, 1994
B 940.4 G37F
An introduction to the war, this book covers the prelude to war, the major battles on the Western Front, the start of trench warfare, stalemate, the Gallipoli landings and the Eastern Front. It describes the political and social background, revolution in Russia and the collapse of the Central powers. Deals with issues such as morale, desertion and women’s role. Well-illustrated with photographs and maps and includes a bibliography.

The World War One source book, Philip Haythornthwaite, 1992
B 940.4 H33W
Provides background information on each country; a chronology of battles and a summary of action on each front; information on weapons, the cavalry, naval and aerial warfare; brief  biographies of prominent figures and other facets of the war. Plenty of interesting photos, including a photo of the Australian uniform on page 133.

The Oxford illustrated history of the First World War, 1998
B 940.3 OX2S
Discusses economic, military, social, political and cultural aspects of the war: the origin of the war, the strategy of the Central Powers, the Eastern and Western Fronts, the war in Africa and Turkey, the war at sea and in the air, economic warfare, mutinies, women’s war work and the Peace Settlement.

Battle tactics of the western front, Paddy Griffith, 1994
B 940.4144 G78B
Describes the evolution of British infantry tactics and technology. Early in the war, the army persistently failed in its plans and technologies, but gradually improved its battlefield skill and mobility until its successful sustained offensive in 1918.

Stalemate! The great trench warfare battles of 1915-1917, J.H. Johnson, 1995
B  940.4272 J63S
Assesses six attempts by the British to break through the German lines: the battles of Neuve Chapelle, Loos, the Somme, Arras, Ypres and Cambrai.  These battles took only 300 days of fighting and cost the British 60% of their casualties, with little immediate strategic gain. 

Defeat at Gallipoli, Nigel Steel & Peter Hart, 1994
LT 940.425 ST3D
Describes the failed battle for Gallipoli from April 1915 to January 1916. The historical facts are illuminated by the frank, often poignant, observations of the soldiers on the ground.