Thousands of free pdf books on World War I. Subject collections include personal narratives, government documents. Recommended individual titles. Online library of non-military history of WWI.
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Also See Our Books on the Military History of World War I
Book Collections on World War 1
World War I – Collection
Thousands of books from the Internet Archive free online on the subject of World War I. Some books: Why did World War I happen?, The United States in the First World War, International Socialism and the War, The King the Kaiser and Irish Freedom, Fighters for Peace, Behind the Scenes in Warring Germany, Italy at War and the Allies in the West, The Glory of the Trenches, Italy France and Britain at War, Lusitania: an epic tragedy, many more pdf books on World War I.
World War One – Collection
NYPL
Various
450 books on World War One contributed to the Internet Archive by the New York Public Library. They include a wide variety of topics in fiction and non-fiction. All appear to have been published prior to 1924. Some books: Sea Fighters: Navy yarns of the Great War, Dodging the North Sea Mines, Famous Generals of the Great War, Stories of the American Navy in the Great War, The Gospel in the Light of the Great War, A Narrative of Air Fighting in France.
U.S. Federal Government Documents – World War I Collection
U.S. federal documents relating to World War I, containing publications from agencies such as the War Department, Department of Justice, Council of National Defense, and Department of State. Extends into peace activities after the end of the war. This Hathi Trust collection contains 124 items.
World War I Personal Narratives – Collection
A collection of personal narratives about World War I, published from 1917 to 1922. This Hathi Collection has 119 items, some of which are different versions of the same book.
More Collections of Free Books on World War 1 Topics
More Free Books at Internet Archive on World War 1 Non-Military Topics
World War, 1914-1918 – Diplomatic history
World War, 1914-1918 – Economic aspects
World War, 1914-1918 – Germany
World War, 1914-1918 – Great Britain
World War, 1914-1918 – Influence
World War, 1914-1918 – Political aspects
World War, 1914-1918 – Reconstruction
World War, 1914-1918 – Social aspects
World War, 1914-1918 – Territorial questions
Suggested Books on World War 1
CORE BOOKS – World War 1 PDF Free Download
George, Nicholas, and Wilhelm: Three Royal Cousins and the Road to World War I
Carter, Miranda
Knopf 2010
“This is traditional narrative history with a 21st Century zing – a real corker of a book.” -History Today
The Beauty and the Sorrow: An Intimate History
Englund, Peter
Knopf 2011
“Threads together the wartime experiences of 20 more or less unremarkable men and women, on both sides of the war… “
See the Menu at the top of every page for Directories of Free Online Fiction and NonFiction Books, Magazines, and more, on 400 pages like this at Century Past
The First World War: A Complete History
Gilbert, Martin
Holt 1994
“What Mr. Gilbert seeks to do is to humanize, indeed to personalize, World War I.” NY Times.
First World War, 1914-1918
Hardach, Gerd
1981
World War 1 Books PDF.
To End All Wars: How the First World War Divided Britain
Hochschild, Adam
Macmillan 2011
World War 1 Books PDF.
See our Imperialism Literature
Long Fuse
Lafore, Laurence
1971 Dewey Dec. 940.3
An interpretation of the origins of World War I.
See our World History Textbooks
Guns of August
Tuchman, Barbara W.
1962
“A history of the negotiations that preceded WWI and the course of the war’s first month, up through the Battle of the Marne. Begins with an intimate … view of the leaders in power as war came and of the actual making of war and continues with a critique of generals, equipment and tactics and a survey of the first confused and hideous battles.” Awarded the Pulitzer Prize, 1963.
See our War Fiction PDF
Great War and the British People
Winter, J.M.
1986
World War 1 Books PDF.
See our links to online collections of images of war
Vintage Books on World War 1
VINTAGE BOOKS – History of World War 1 PDF
All the books below about World War 1 were written during the war or immediately afterward.
Genesis of the War
Asquith, H.H.
1923
The author was the Prime Minister of England from 1908 to 1916; the period leading up to and including the first two years of the war.
Economic Causes of Modern War
A study of the period 1878-1918
Bakeless, John
1921
Economic causes of WWI pdf.
My Three Years in America
Bernstorff, Count
1920
The author was the German Ambassador in Washington from 1914 to 1917.
An English Wife in Berlin; A Private Memoir of Events, Politics, and Daily Life in Germany Throughout the War and the Social Revolution of 1918
Blücher von Wahlstatt, Evelyn Mary Stapleton-Bretherton
1920
The author, Evelyn Stapleton-Bretherton of Lancashire, England married Count (later Prince) Blucher in 1907.
The War Romance of the Salvation Army
Booth, Evangeline and Lutz, Grace L.
1919
One of the authors, Evangeline Booth, was the commander-in-chief of the Salvation Army in the U.S.
New World; Problems in Political Geography
Bowman, Isaiah
1922
The author was the leading geographical expert with the peace commission. Describes the factors that influence the political geography that emerged from the war.
Subject Index of the Books Relating to the European War, 1914-1918
acquired by the British Museum, 1914-1920
British Museum
1922
WWI Bibliography PDF.
Bibliographical Survey of Contemporary Sources for the Economic and Social History of the War
Bulkley, M. E.
1922
WWI Bibliography PDF.
Readings in the Economics of War
Clark, J. Maurice et. al, ed.
1918
“This volume aims to throw light upon the various economic questions which arise in connection with the war. It falls roughly into three divisions, which are concerned with the economic background of war in general, the economic reorganization required in view of the necessities of a world-war, and the economic questions involved in the reorganization of the industrial system at the end of the present conflict.” – from the Preface.
Roots of the War; a Non-technical history of Europe 1870-1914 A.D.
Davis, William Stearns
1918
Causes of WWI pdf.
Selected Critical Bibliography of Publications in English Relating to the World War
Ducher, George M.
1918
An extensive annotated bibliography organized into 78 topics related to the war.
History of Modern Europe, 1878-1919
Gooch, G.P.
1923
World War 1 books PDF.
Before the War
Haldane, Viscount
1920
The purpose of this book was to explain Great Britain’s foreign policy toward Germany in the 8 years preceding the beginning of the war in 1914. The author was the Secretary of State for War for most of that period.
Literary Digest History of the World War (10 vols), comp.
Halsey, Francis Whiting
1919-20
Compiled from original and contemporary sources: American, British, French, German and others. Illustrated.
Uncle Sam’s Fact Book of the World War
Containing a thousand and one facts worth knowing concerning the struggle for democracy, including army and navy organization, insignia of rank, pay rolls, branches of the service, regulating laws, classification under and official record of drafts, etc.
Hammond
1918
World War 1 books pdf.
Brief History of the Great War
Hayes, Carlton J.H
1920
History book pdf on WWI, World War 1 books PDF.
Reflections on the World War
Hollweg, Th. von Bethmann
1919
World War 1 PDF.
Intimate Papers Of Colonel House (vol 1)
Vol 2
Vol 3
Vol 4
House, Edward M.
1926
Colonel House was a close aide to President Wilson during the years covered in these 4 volumes. They were compiled by an editor from his diary and correspondence, and the set is one of the most valuable accounts of a leading participant in international affairs during WWI.
Collected Diplomatic Documents Relating to the Outbreak of the European War
Legislative Assembly, New South Wales
1915
World War 1 Books PDF.
Official Diplomatic Documents Relating to the Outbreak of the European War, ed.
with photographic reproductions of official editions of the documents …
Mach, Edmund von
1916 Dewey Dec. 940.3
Documents published by the governments of Austria-Hungary, Belgium, France, Germany, Great Britain, Russia and Serbia.
Medical Services; Diseases of the War (vol 1) – World War 1 Book PDF
Vol 2
Macpherson, MG W.G. et al
One of seven titles in the series “History of the Great War, based on Official Documents”, by direction of the Committee of Imperial Defense.
Medical Services; General History (vol 1) – World War 1 Book PDF
Vol 2
Vol 3
Vol 4
Macpherson, MG W.G.
1921
One of seven titles in the series “History of the Great War, based on Official Documents”, by direction of the Committee of Imperial Defense.
Vol 1: Medical services in the U.K.; in British garrisons overseas; and during operations against Tsingtau, in Togoland, the Cameroons, and South-West Africa.
Vol 2: The medical services on the western front, and during the operations in France and Belgium in 1914 and 1915.
Vol 3: Medical services during the operations on the Western Front in 1916, 1917 and 1918; in Italy; and in Egypt and Palestine.
Vol 4: Medical services during the operations of the Gallipoli Peninsula; in Macedonia; in Mesopotamia and North-West Persia; in East Africa; in the Aden Protectorate; and in North Russia. Ambulance transport during the war. World War 1 Book PDF.
New York Times Current History of the European War (20 vols), New York Times
New York Times
1917-1920
Produced throughout the time of U.S. participation in World War I. Vol 20 contains an index and material on post-war treaty negotiations. Illustrated.
England and Germany, 1740-1914
Schmitt, Bernadotte Everly
1916
World War 1 Book PDF.
Diplomatic Background of the War, 1870-1914
Seymour, Charles
1916
World War One book pdf.
Militarism and Statecraft
Smith, Munroe
1918
World War 1 Book PDF.
Through Thirty Years 1892-1922; A Personal Narrative (vol 1)
Vol 2
Steed, Henry Wickham
1924 Dewey Dec. 940.3
World War 1 Book PDF.
Times History of the War (vols 1-22)
The Times [of London]
1914-1921 Dewey Dec. 940.3
The London Times used its reporting staff to create these volumes throughout World War I. They are heavily illustrated and contain many maps.
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