Fortifications of the Western Front 1914–18

Osprey Fortress #24

by Paddy Griffith, Peter Dennis (Illustrator)

Following the early battles of 1914 along the Marne and in the Ypres salient, World War I rapidly changed from a war of movement into one of attrition, with the opposing sides entrenching themselves in a line of fortified positions from the Flanders coastline to the Swiss border. This volume details the different styles of fortification used on the Western Front throughout the course of the war, from the early ditches of 1914 to the complicated systems of 1918. It explains the development of the 'defence in depth' German system and the British reaction to it, as well as illustrating the importance of the pre-war forts, particularly around Verdun.

Genres: Military History, History, Nonfiction, World War I

64 pages, Paperback

First published September 23, 2004

About the author

Paddy Griffith was a senior lecturer in war studies at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst for 16 years. He is the author of numerous articles and books on the history of warfare, including Battle Tactics of the Western Front, 1916-18 and The Art of War of Revolutionary France, 1789-1802.

Reviews

[Brad Dunleavy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Solid book

Short. But good summary. A few good illustrations and photos. If you. Are familiar with We1 for today. Then probably not your cup of tea. But for basic understanding. Highly recommended

[Steve Scott · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some background reading on the war and its battles would be helpful to the reader prior to attempting this one. It isn’t a book for those new to the conflict.