What are good sources for studying the lead up to WW1?

by Domiiniick

I am writing a play about the Seminal Tragedy and want to incorporate as much real history as possible. Where are the best places to find information for this event. Thank you for your help.

Starwarsnerd222

Greetings! What an interesting idea for a play, and one hopes that it turns out to be an interesting (yet historically accurate) depiction of the finals months of peace in 1914 and the descent to war. For a more comprehensive list of books (including those which explore the society of Europe in 1914), the AH Booklist has a well-stocked section of recommendations specifically on the lead-up to the First World War here. I have copied some of those recommendations (made by myself), as well as some other ones which may be worth a read/watch.

  • The Proud Tower: A Portrait of the World Before the War, 1890-1914 by Barbara K. Tuchman (1996; ISBN 978-03454050120) - Alongside Tuchman's well-known work below, this collection of essays by Tuchman details the atmosphere of Europe as a society and a cultural hotbed in the 24 years leading up to the seminal tragedy of the First World War. Tuchman's work is a bit more focussed on the cultural and social developments here, most notably the music of Richard Strauss and the emerging movements of art in the early 20th century. There are also political essays, namely two on the government of Great Britain, as well as one the activities of various anarchist movements and the Socialist international. A slightly higher level of work which expects that the reader understands the general context beforehand, but one which gives a good glimpse into oft-ignored or glossed over aspects of the world before the war.
  • The Guns of August: The Outbreak of World War I by Barbara K. Tuchman (2014; ISBN 978-0345386236) - This is the book synonymous with historical narratives regarding the start of the First Word War, and it goes further than the start of the war in August 1914 to the first months of the Great War. Tuchman's prose is very engaging here, but it can be a bit confusing or overly grandiose at times. Nonetheless, this book comes along as highly recommended on many (if not all) reading lists for secondary sources on the origins of World War I, so consider looking into it if you interested. She obviously focuses more on the political and military side of things, so perhaps pair this work with the one above for a more comprehensive overview of "the world in 1914".
  • The War That Ended Peace: How Europe Abandoned Peace for the First World War by Margaret MacMillan (2014; ISBN 978-1846682735) - A great starting point for anyone curious in the origins of the First World War as a consequence of the decisions made in the various halls of power across Europe in the summer of 1914. MacMillan makes it clear from her introduction that she does not ascribe to the "collective fault" school of historiography which other narratives might follow, and instead explores in-depth the reasoning and rationale behind each and every decision made from 1900 to 1914 which moved Europe closer to war. The work includes primary sources from the statesman of the time, and always explains the background to each key character, event, and development in the years preceding the catastrophe of the War to End All Wars. If I had to recommend just one book on this list, it would be this one. It covers a great deal of the breadth and depth of the years 1900-1914, so would be perfect for some contextual knowledge on the events of the Seminal Tragedy.
  • The First World War: A Very Short Introduction by Michael Howard (2007; ISBN 978-0199205592) - This one is a sort of "pocket guide" to the First World War as a whole, though its opening chapters on the origins of the war before 1914 and how the descent into conflict occurred are a great starting point for research. When the other books assume that you have some foundational knowledge (or even deeper contextual knowledge) about the summer of 1914, Howard's account makes no such assumptions, and is a great read to get acquainted with the names, events, and concepts which will appear in many other historical narratives you might come across or look into later on.
  • Apocalypse World War I: Part 1 of 5 - Fury - This one is a documentary on the origins of the First World War, and although it certainly is not a ideal source to study the historiography on the leadup to World War I and how the Seminal Tragedy unfolded, it is nonetheless a good resource for glimpsing what the world of 1914 looked like (the moreso as it exclusively utilises coloured archive footage from the age). The narration is a tad over the top, and I highly recommend pairing this documentary with one of the other books (MacMillan's perhaps) to gain a more complete sense of the world in those final months of peace, but for an engaging hour-long watch, this does the job well.

There are obviously plenty of other great works on the leadup to the First World War, and I might as well take the time to shamelessly plug my six-part treatise on the MAIN explanation of World War I for a more in-depth historiographical approach. The ones above however, should get you started on the research. Hope these recommendations help, and feel free to pm me with any questions or further recommendations if you wish!