The First World War in Africa 1914-1918 - John Buchan

A unique assessment of the Great War in sub-Saharan Africa in all its theatres

The great conflict fought between 1914 and 1918 set Europe ablaze, but, as the definition of ‘world war’ implies, embraced battlefields where the colonial interests of the protagonist nations inevitably collided. How this occurred on the continent of Africa has always fascinated military history students of the period, not least because these campaigns unconfined by the stagnation of trench warfare, as was the case on the Western Front, were fought over exotic terrains by national, militia and native forces often commanded by able and imaginative officers on both sides. Much focus has been given to the campaigns in East Africa, which features in detail in this book, but also included is the campaign fought in the arid landscape of South-West Africa (now Namibia) and those which took place in Equatorial Togoland (Ghana Volta) and The Cameroons in West Africa. The ‘South African Rebellion’ is also described. The author of this book, John Buchan, a writer of great talent and economy of phrase, was primarily known for his superlative adventure fiction. However, he was commissioned to write a multi-volume history of the First World War which enabled him to reveal his talent as an historian and from which this single volume edition has been selectively edited. Buchan’s text, appearing in this form for the first time in this Leonaur edition, includes many excellent maps and has been further enhanced by photographs and illustrations which were not present in earlier publications of the text.

Leonaur editions are newly typeset and are not facsimiles; each title is available in softcover and hardback with dustjacket.