Soldiers' Lives through History - The Nineteenth Century

(Hardback)

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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 countries.

Reviews

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 *

Author Bio

Michael S. Neiberg is Professor of History and Co-Chair of the Center for the Study of the War and Society at the University of Southern Mississippi and was formerly Professor of History at the U.S. Air Force Academy. He is the author of Never Such Innocence Again: A History of the First World War (2005), Warfare and Society in Europe, 1898 to the Present (2004), and many other titles.