Publisher's Synopsis
In this new interpretation of the First World War, the author weaves together the economic and social history of the English-speaking world, the Pacific basin, and Germany, with the development of food production and consumption. He argues that global changes in agrarian production paved the way for the war and affected the experience and prospects of ordinary people and the outlook of admirals, generals and statesmen.;The book also discusses the social history of emigration and settlement, racial exclusion, and the wider ramifications of food production and consumption.;The text is meant to be accessible to a wide range of people and requires no technical knowledge. It will appeal to anyone with an interest in the origins of the 20th century world and questions of defence and strategy.
