Early Trench Tactics in the French Army: The Second Battle of Artois, May-June 1915

In the English-speaking world the First World War is too often portrayed as a conflict between Britain and Germany. The majority of books focus on the Anglo-German struggle, and ignore the part played by the French, who for most of the war provided the bulk of the soldiers fighting against the central powers. This important book joins the growing collection of works offering an overdue assessment of the French contribution to the War. Drawing on French primary sources, the book is an in-depth battle narrative and analysis, and a work on the tactical evolution of the French army in Spring 1915 as it endeavored to come to grips with trench warfare.

Jonathan Krause is a visiting lecturer in the Defence Studies Department, King’s College London at the Joint Services Command and Staff College, Shrivenham. He studied history at the University of California, Riverside (2002-2006) before earning an MA (2007) and PhD (2010) from the War Studies Department, King’s College, London. Jonathan has published in both French and English on a range of topics related to the French Army in La Grande Guerre, and is an Associate Member of the British Commission for Military History.