Eden to Armageddon

March 15, 2010
Often forgotten except for the legend of Lawrence of Arabia, the critical Middle Eastern theater of WWI is thoroughly chronicled in this meticulous military history. Ford (The Grim Reaper
) surveys all the major campaigns in the Allied—mainly British—war against the Ottoman Empire, from the invasion of Mesopotamia (“Eden”) to the climactic battle of Megiddo (the biblical Armageddon) in Palestine. A microcosm of the larger war, the story includes a seesaw struggle between the Turks and Russians in the Caucasus, bloody trench warfare on the Gallipoli peninsula, a rare successful British cavalry charge near Gaza, and a pervasive air of futility as best-laid plans go tragically awry. Ford pens a lucid operational history from the orders of commanders to the movements of units as they contend with terrain, weather, and the enemy. He also pulls back to examine the political context and the personalities of leaders like the vain, over-reaching Turkish generalissimo Enver Pasha and the abrasive yet competent Winston Churchill. The result is a stylishly written, fine-grained narrative history that should become the standard for historians and buffs alike. 48 pages of b&w photos; maps.

November 1, 2013

Covers the four-front war in the Middle East (Suez, Mesopotamia, Caucasus, Dardanelles), the disintegration of the Ottoman Empire, and creation of the modern Middle East.

Copyright 2013 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

March 15, 2010
Sturdy but plodding account of the hell of World War I.

France-based military historian Ford turns in a comprehensive survey of the Great War as it was fought over territory belonging to a rapidly crumbling Ottoman Empire, including Egypt, Iraq, Turkey and what is now Saudi Arabia. With its battle-by-battle, unit-by-unit narrative, the book seems intended for an audience of professional historians rather than history buffs, and the writing is excessively dry. Ford's attention is often focused on matters of order of battle rather than of the battle itself—e.g.,"In front of Bitlis Nazarbekov had the 7th and 8th Caucasian Rifles in prepared positions, supported by field artillery and howitzers, with a battalion of the 6th Caucasian Rifles in reserve." Still, the author provides solid, detailed accounts of incidents such as the disastrous British expedition into Mesopotamia and the even more disastrous landing at Gallipoli. He takes a cold eye to the claims to greatness of T.E. Lawrence—Lawrence of Arabia, that is—whose effectiveness in the field was amplified by a helpful public-relations machine, and who seems a touch petulant whenever he is encountered, certainly less even-keeled than his commander, Gen. Edmund Allenby. Even here, however, Ford is given less to personalities than aggregates:"Two days later Allenby made significant changes to his table of organisation. The cavalry would now become the Desert Mounted Corps, while the infantry was reorganized into XX Corps and XXI Corps."

A tough slog for anyone without a technical interest in the workings of an army.

(COPYRIGHT (2010) KIRKUS REVIEWS/NIELSEN BUSINESS MEDIA, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.)

Starred review from May 1, 2010
Many of the seemingly chronic problems that plague the Middle East today can be traced back to WWI and the subsequent failures of the postwar settlements. Ford supplies an outstanding and comprehensive account of the military campaigns in the region while integrating them into the broader political interests and maneuvers of the great powers. While some historians viewed the struggle as a sideshow to the trench warfare on the western front, Ford convincingly asserts that the various fronts in the Middle East were an essential factor in the eventual Allied success. He begins with a description of the prewar milieu, as the Ottoman Empire, the Sick Man of Europe, continued to decline, giving rise to nationalist agitation and outside intervention. He proceeds to in-depth descriptions of the various campaigns, including the frustrating British effort in Mesopotamia, the disaster at Gallipoli, and the decisive victories in Palestine and Syria. In a fine postscript, Ford illustrates how and why the rivalries and designs of the victorious powers led to a peace agreement that virtually guaranteed continued instability and conflict. Enriching the narrative are interesting portraits of some of the key players, including T. E. Lawrence, Ataturk, General Allenby, and Lord Kitchener.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2010, American Library Association.)