By the time the First World War ended in 1918, eight million people had died in what had been perhaps the most apocalyptic episode the world had known.

This Very Short Introduction provides a concise and insightful history of the Great War—from the state of Europe in 1914, to the role of the US, the collapse of Russia, and the eventual surrender of the Central Powers. Examining how and why the war was fought, as well as the historical controversies that still surround the war, Michael Howard also looks at how peace was ultimately made, and describes the potent legacy of resentment left to Germany.