A Short History of the Great War. By A. F.
Pollard. (Methuen. 10s. lid. net.)—Professor Pollard's lucid narrative and caustic comments are highly interesting. Ho writes as one who remem- bers that there have been other wars, and who knows that even popular statesmen are not infallible. He tries to show the events in their true perspective. It is fair to say that, though he wrote his book last summer, the many enemy memoirs which have appeared since do not affect the substantial accuracy of his sketch. He deals plainly with the reverse of March, 1918. " That battle was lost because the Versailles Council, acting on the advice of its French rather thah its British members, mis- judged the direction of the coming German offensive and mis- placed the reserves at its disposal." Further, 300,000 men were kept idle in England instead of reinforcing General Gough- " the most culpable Cabinet failure in the war "—because " persons in authority" thought that they were needed to defend us against invasion, although invasion was an utter impossi- bility. Professor Pollard criticizes the Peace terms, but ho declares that, " despite its shortcomings, the Conference of Versailles achieved higher ideals than those attained by any preceding Congress of Peace." His very able and stimulating book deserves careful reading.
Previous page
