by Peter Hart

Author of The Great War, as well as celebrated accounts of the battles of the Somme, Passchendaele, Jutland, and Gallipoli, historian Peter Hart now turns to World War One's final months. Much has been made of-and written about-August 1914. There has been comparatively little focus on August 1918 and the lead-up to November. Because of the fixation on the Great War's opening moves, and the great battles that followed over the course of the next four years, the endgame seems to come as a stunning anticlimax. At the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month of 1918 the guns simply fell silent.

The Last Battle definitively corrects this misperception. As Hart shows, a number of factors precipitated the Armistice. After four years of bloodshed, Germany was nearly bankrupt and there was a growing rift between the military High Command and political leadership. But it also remained a determined combatant, and France and Great Britain had equally been stretched to their limits; Russia had abandoned the conflict in the late winter of 1918. However complex the causes of Germany's ultimate defeat, Allied success on the Western Front, as Hart reveals, tipped the scales-the triumphs at the Fifth Battle of Ypres, the Sambre, the Selle, and the Meuse-Argonne, where American forces made arguably their greatest...

by Peter Hart

Author of The Great War, as well as celebrated accounts of the battles of the Somme, Passchendaele, Jutland, and Gallipoli, historian Peter Hart now turns to World War One's final months. Much has been made of-and written about-August 1914. There has been comparatively little focus on August 1918 and the lead-up to November. Because of the fixation on the Great War's opening moves, and the great battles that followed over the course of the next four years, the endgame seems to come as a stunning anticlimax. At the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month of 1918 the guns simply fell silent.

The Last Battle definitively corrects this misperception. As Hart shows, a number of factors precipitated the Armistice. After four years of bloodshed, Germany was nearly bankrupt and there was a growing rift between the military High Command and political leadership. But it also remained a determined combatant, and France and Great Britain had equally been stretched to their limits; Russia had abandoned the conflict in the late winter of 1918. However complex the causes of Germany's ultimate defeat, Allied success on the Western Front, as Hart reveals, tipped the scales-the triumphs at the Fifth Battle of Ypres, the Sambre, the Selle, and the Meuse-Argonne, where American forces made arguably their greatest contribution. The offensives cracked the Hindenburg Line and wore down the German resistance, precipitating collapse.

Final victory came at great human cost and involved the combined efforts of millions of men. Using the testimony of a range of participants, from the Doughboys, Tommies, German infantrymen, and French poilus who did the fighting, to those in command during those last days and weeks, Hart brings intimacy and sweep to the events that led to November 11, 1918.

CATALOG PAGE

The UDM librarians are happy to welcome you to the library website.  Here is some news you can use about the library.

Phone numbers:

Check-out Desk: 313-993-1795
Research & Information Desk 313-993-1071

Our regular hours are:

Monday-Thursday   8:00am - 10:00pm
Friday                      8:00am - 5:30pm
Saturday                  9:00am - 5:00pm
Sunday                    12:30pm - 7:00pm
Hours are subject to change and may vary during holidays, breaks and finals. Check the library website.

Fast Facts About the Library:

Chat with a UDM librarian online from 15 minutes after opening to 15 minutes before closing. Use the chat box after regular hours for 24/7...

The UDM librarians are happy to welcome you to the library website.  Here is some news you can use about the library.

Phone numbers:

Check-out Desk: 313-993-1795
Research & Information Desk 313-993-1071

Our regular hours are:

Monday-Thursday   8:00am - 10:00pm
Friday                      8:00am - 5:30pm
Saturday                  9:00am - 5:00pm
Sunday                    12:30pm - 7:00pm
Hours are subject to change and may vary during holidays, breaks and finals. Check the library website.

Fast Facts About the Library:

Chat with a UDM librarian online from 15 minutes after opening to 15 minutes before closing. Use the chat box after regular hours for 24/7 service.

The library has Wi-Fi Internet access: bring your laptop. No laptop? No problem. The library has over 50 computers for use.
All registered students are allocated 400 free pages of printing for the academic year. Color printing is available.

Keep this in mind. You are going to need a scantron eventually. The library has them for 50¢ per sheet. Blue books are $1.00.

Earbuds and flashdrives are available for purchase for your convenience.

The Bookmark Cafe is in the lobby of the library for your food and beverage needs featuring Detroit Bold coffee.

Electronic Resources and Remote Access:

Databases, full text journals and electronic books are accessible through the library portal: http://libraries.udmercy.edu.

For off-campus access, begin your search at http://libraries.udmercy.edu.  A login screen will appear when you try to access electronic materials. Login as you would for your Blackboard or TitanConnect account: UDM email name and password. Or, click the Re:Search Portal link at the upper right corner of the Blackboard after you have logged in.

If you experience access problems, call the Research & Information Desk at the number listed above during library hours. At all other times, send an email to libbeygh@udmercy.edu.

Borrowing materials:

The loan period is 28 days for books and 1 week for DVD's. You must have your student ID to check out materials. You may renew once by phone or through your account in the online catalog (no DVD renewals). Use the Sign In link when you are in the catalog. Sign in with your TitanConnect account login and password.

Course Reserve materials are at the Check-out Desk (in library use only).

For Your Entertainment

The library has music CD's, audio books, and movies and television shows on DVD for your down time.

This is just the tip of the iceberg. Come in, say hi and find out what else the UDM library has for you. We can't wait to meet you and start you on the path to achieving your academic goals.