Soldiers' Lives through History - The Nineteenth Century

Michael S Neiberg author

Format:Hardback

Publisher:Bloomsbury Publishing PLC

Published:30th Oct '06

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Soldiers' Lives through History - The Nineteenth Century cover

Learn about soldiers' day-to-day lives in the new type of citizen soldier military, stretching from the bloody French Revolution in the late eighteenth century to the brutal conditions of the first World War in the early twentieth century.

This is the story of the evolution of the citizen army throughout Western nations during the nineteenth century and up through World War I.

This is the story of the evolution of the citizen army throughout Western nations during the nineteenth century and up through World War I. The French Revolution had brought to Europe the concept of military service as a citizen responsibility. Until then, armies and navies had been the province of the upper classes and of mercenaries, with authoritarian governments firmly in place that held little connection to the common person. As more democratic and republican governments developed during the 1800s, military service became not only a citizen's obligation, but for many, an honor. By the time of World War I, men and women-in more limited roles-were becoming willing to risk their lives for the goals of their countr

A specialist in the study of war and society, Neiberg examines how European militaries reflected the development of nationalism during the century, concentrating on the experience of common soldiers. He divides the period between the age of men from the French Revolution to German Unification, and the age of machines from the Franco-Prussian war through The Great War. * Reference & Research Book News *
This work at first glance to be well suited for use as an undergraduate-level military history text book, but first impressions can be deceiving. Not only does this book provide a commendable overview of the less studied background of soldiers, but it also provides a framework for future study for all levels of historians. The notes, bibliography, and introductory discussion of available sources are particularly valuable guides to a reliable selection of mostly secondary works that point out excellent paths for further study….[t]he author has given us a well-written and concise synopsis of the evolution of the soldiers' lives through the nineteenth century. * The Journal of Military History *
Nieberg is especially strong on the growth and impact of conscription, particularly its role in nationalist political socialization, the development of a national consciousness outside elites, and the growth of compulsory education and the welfare state. * Army History *

ISBN: 9780313332692

Dimensions: unknown

Weight: 652g

232 pages