Summary of The Guns of August

The Guns of August is the Pulitzer Prize-winning account by Barbara W. Tuchman chronicling the first month of World War I. Through examining the events that led up to and occurred during this tumultuous time, Tuchman uncovers how this new style of warfare came to be. She describes the prophecies, ambassadors, alliances, strategies, and battles as Europe barrels into a conflict that was not only unforeseen, but altogether incomprehensible. Tuchman's account becomes a window into the past and a cautionary tale of how little nations understood the power of their own weapons and how easily a few miscalculations could plunge the world into global chaos. Ultimately, The Guns of August illuminates the fragile peace of Europe and the ultimate birth of the global conflict that would be known as The Great War.