Why We Are at War

University of Oxford. Faculty of Modern HistoryProject Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

3.2

Word count: 445K words
Chapters: 45

Summary

Project Gutenberg was the first provider of free electronic books, or eBooks. Michael Hart, founder of Project Gutenberg, invented eBooks in 1971 and his memory continues to inspire the creation of eBooks and related technologies today.Why We Are at War (2nd Edition, revised)Author: University of Oxford. Faculty of Modern History,Language: English, Class: D501: History: General and Eastern Hemisphere: World War I (1914-1918), Release Date: Jan 1, 2004

Editor's review

This book is an explanation of the causes of the First World War written by the Faculty of Modern History at Oxford during the war itself. It bears a distinct contemporary stance and propaganda character, and is a primary source for understanding how British intellectuals explained the reasons for entering the war. Its value lies not in offering neutral, comprehensive historiography, but in showing how academic intellectuals of the time organized arguments, responded to doubts, and shaped public perception. The style is solemn and the argumentation dense; it is suitable as a sample text for studying the history of First World War public opinion, public writing, or propaganda. Readers are advised to read critically, distinguish factual statements from expressions of stance, and compare with later historical scholarship. For general readers it is more a historical document than an introductory work: short in length but high in information density, best read closely alongside background materials.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Scholarly readers specializing in First World War history and British wartime public opinion
Communication studies readers interested in propaganda texts and public writing strategies
Advanced students who need original English-language sources for coursework
Readers interested in the essayistic style of early twentieth-century academic argumentation

Not a good fit for

Introductory readers seeking a neutral, comprehensive history of the First World War
Casual readers who prefer light narrative or story-driven history books
Those who struggle with English reading and lack background knowledge of the First World War

Reading tips

Read a modern overview of the causes of the First World War first, then compare it with this book's argumentative framework.
Mark stance-laden wording as you read, distinguishing factual statements from value judgments.
Select one chapter for close reading and analyze its organization of evidence and rhetorical techniques.
After reading, consult later historians' assessments of similar propaganda texts to form a comparison.

About the publisher

Project Gutenberg United States · Founded in 1971

Project Gutenberg is a digital publishing project focused on public-domain ebooks. Its publishing direction centers on classic literary works whose copyright has expired, covering genres such as poetry, drama, fiction, and epic. Representative books include Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth and Coleridge, Proust's Du côté de chez Swann, Shakespeare's Macbeth and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Homer's The Iliad, Dante's La Divina Comèdia: Purgatòri, Cervantes's The History of Don Quixote, Volume 2, and Grahame's The Wind in the Willows. Its author resources consist mainly of classic Western writers such as Wordsworth, Proust, Shakespeare, Homer, Dante, Cervantes, Grahame, and Tolstoy. Its publishing feature is the provision of freely accessible ebooks in EPUB and Kindle formats; it is not a traditional publisher, and publicly available information is limited.

FAQ

Is this book a neutral historical study?

No. It was written during the war by the Faculty of Modern History at Oxford to justify Britain's entry into the war, and it carries a clear stance and propaganda intent. It should be read as a historical document rather than a neutral work of historiography.

Can I understand it without background knowledge of the First World War?

You can read it, but understanding will be limited. Much of the book's argumentation assumes familiarity with the European diplomatic situation around 1914. It is advisable to first acquire a basic outline of the war's causes, then read this book, which will go more smoothly.

Is this book suitable as English learning material?

It can serve as advanced reading material. Its essayistic structure is clear and its syntax orderly, but the vocabulary is formal and the argumentation dense, making it more suitable for readers with a certain English foundation and an interest in historical topics.

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About the author

University of Oxford. Faculty of Modern History Author · British

"University of Oxford. Faculty of Modern History" refers to the Faculty of Modern History at the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom, a teaching and research body that appears as a collective author. The faculty is responsible for teaching and research in the field of modern history at Oxford, and its name typically appears in library catalogues as an institutional author. Public information is currently limited, and only one work by this author is held in the collection, namely Why We Are at War. Judging from the title and the institutional nature of the attribution, the book likely discusses the causes of war and its historical background, displaying the characteristics of academic historical writing and serving the public discussion and historical research of its time. As an institutional author, its editorial direction broadly reflects the orientation of modern history teaching and research. Although the number of works is small, it offers a way to observe how the faculty engaged with particular historical issues and the style of its expression.