You're no idiot, of course. You know that World War I was "the Great War," and you're familiar with its images: muddy trenches, poison gas, and a no-man's-land of craters and barbed wire. But when it comes to understanding its causes, why it dragged on for four years, and how it set the stage for World War II, you're lost behind enemy lines. Don't wave the white flag just jet! The Complete Idiot's Guide to World War I gives you a comprehensive over-view of the first global war, from the assassination of the Archduke Franz Ferdinand to the Treaty of Versailles. In this Complete Idiot's Guide, you get: broad coverage of the secret treaties and entangling alliances that led to war; comprehensive analysis of some of history's bloodiest battles, including the Somme, Tannenburg, Gallipoli, and Belleau Wood; expert commentary on the development of weapons such as the tank, the dreadnought battleship, poison gas, and the German U-boat; and valuable insights into the war's influence on this century's political and cultural development. - Back cover. For history buffs, students, and anyone interested in the 20th century, this book reveals why World War I began, explores the "guns of August," describes the horrors of trench warfare and the first uses of poison gas, and explains why the Americans were so slow to enter the war. From the eastern front to the west, from Gallipoli to the Marne, from the Lafayette Escadrillo to Lawrence of Arabia, the book tells the whole story of "the war to end all wars." - Publisher.