The World Crisis.

Churchill's complete history of the First World War

First editions, first impressions. Working with astonishing speed and energy, Churchill produced this mammoth history of the First World War in the aftermath of electoral defeat. The work deals with his reorganization of the Royal Navy in the years leading up to the War, defends his Gallipoli policy, and criticises Haig's strategy.

John Buchan considered these volumes "the best thing anyone has done in contemporary history since Clarendon" (Cohen A69). "Although parts of The World Crisis were highly autobiographical, drawing on documents from Churchill's private papers, the book as a whole was a stupendous narrative of the war in Europe featuring masterly set-piece accounts of major battles. Dictated to secretaries as he strode up and down the room, it exhibited his passionate interest in war and his romantic conception of the 'true glory' of the troops who perished on the Somme" (ODNB). In this set, vol. I is third state with errata leaf and missing quotation mark on p. 472, other volumes in the first state; all states were issued simultaneously without priority.