Desert Hell

Britain invaded Iraq in 1914 both to weaken the Ottoman Empire and to defeat the Central powers in World War I. The successful landing at Basra disintegrated into a costly stalemate; conflicting diplomatic positions from Cairo, London, and India led to huge military losses and suffering. Townshend (international history, Keele Univ., UK) brings together extensive primary and secondary source research to present the human cost of the inept political leadership of a British Empire still pursuing imperialist goals. Once its troops defeated the fading Ottoman forces, Britain had to deal with unanticipated long-term responsibilities. In a book packed with colorful personalities and military and political details, Townshend's focus on these painful war years spurs the reader to wonder whether 21st-century American leaders would have been more cautious about Iraq if they'd understood this history.