Origins of the First World War

I surprisingly large amount of information in packed into this small volume. The reader must remember that this is a short, survey type book, and not an indepth study. The author does cover the alliance system, basic strategic decisisions, international envolvement and the oddities of the situation in the Balkans at that time. Yes, there are better works out there, some of them come in multi-volumes, some in 800 pages or more. There is much to be learned in all of them, but for a quick, insightful look, you cannot really go wrong with this one. The text is in logical sequence and quite readable (if of course you like history) and the author backs his conclusions up, one by one. Highly recommend this one. It is a good additon to any library and a great primer on the subject.

Gordon Martel's contribution to the informative "Seminar Studies in History" series is highly informative, especially for students who are embarking on studying the History of World War One. Martel provides a concise, well-written summary of the historiography on the orgins of the war, as well as an overview of both the events leading up to its outbreak and the deeper causes of the war; such as the alliance system among the "Great Powers" and the prevailing military and diplomatic convictions of the time. Despite his stated intentions to keep his own opinions relatively silent, Martel's views on why World War One occurred are clear throughout the book. Graduate students will also appreciate this book for the historiographical summary it provides. Casual fans of history may want to skip the introduction and go straight to Martel's narrative, which is very good, if not excellent. Martel also provides several important primary documents and some basic maps to guide the reader. Overall, a fine primer on an important subject.