Almost a century on, interest in The Great War could be expected to have faded and died; after all, the last who fought in it have passed on. Yet indisputably interest is increasing, not falling. Families seek their own connection both with ancestors who fought and all too often died and with those at home who had to live and cope with unimaginable losses.This book, which sets out to fill a gap, is written for the layman, who may have some knowledge about the Great War of 1914-18 but who wants to know more. It is a story, not a history. It is a guide, but not a guidebook. It is a story about people, but not a biography. It is well nigh impossible to visualise 20,000 men dying in a day on the Somme, but it is possible to look at the individual stories that come together to make up such a tragedy.Covering vital background information, graphic explanations of the conduct of the War and vivid personal testimonies, The Great War Explained offers a highly readable way of gaining a better understanding of this most dramatic period of World history.