Book description
Since 2003, Iraq has rarely left the headlines. But less discussed
is the fact that Iraq as we know it was created by the British, in one
of the most dramatic interventions in recent history. A cautious
strategic invasion by British forces led - within seven years - to
imperial expansion on a dizzying scale, with fateful consequences for
the Middle East and the world. In When God Made Hell, Charles
Townshend charts Britain's path from one of its worst military
disasters to extraordinary success with largely unintended
consequences, through overconfidence, incompetence and dangerously
vague policy. With monumental research and exceptionally vivid
accounts of on-the-ground warfare, this a truly gripping account of
the Mesopotamia campaign, and its place in the wider political and
international context. For anyone seeking to understand the roots of
British involvement in Iraq, it is essential reading.
Charles Townshend is Professor of International History at Keele
University, specialising in the study of modern political violence and
insurgency. He is the editor of the Oxford History of Modern War and
the author of Easter 1916: the Irish Rebellion, among others. He is
married with two sons.
