Book description
On 22 April 1915, the men of the 1st Canadian Division faced chlorine
gas, a new lethal weapon against which they had no defence. In
defiance of a particularly horrible death, or, at the very least,
severe lung injury, these untested Canadians fought almost
continuously for four days, often hand-to-hand, as they clung
stubbornly against overwhelming odds to a vital part of the Allied
line after the French units on their left fled in panic. By doing so,
they saved 50,000 troops in the Ypres salient from almost certain
destruction, and, in addition, prevented the momentum of the war from
tipping in favour of the Germans.
In this new, deeply researched account, the distinguished military
historian George H. Cassar skillfully blends into the history of the
battle the graphic and moving words of the men on the front line.
Illustrated with outstanding photographs and numerous maps, and
drawing from diaries, letters, and documents from every level of
planning, Hell in Flanders Fields is an authoritative,
gripping drama of politics, strategy, and human courage.
"Cassar's account is nonetheless extremely detailed and provides
excellent insight into an otherwise confusing battle that was shrouded
in poison gas."
George H. Cassar, who obtained his Ph. D. from
McGill University, is a leading authority on the First World War. He
has written many books on the subject, including Kitchener's War:
British Strategy from 1914-1916, and Lloyd George at War,
1916-1918. He lives in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
