2010
First Published
3.73
Average Rating
620
Number of Pages
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.
Avg Rating
3.73
Number of Ratings
63
5 STARS
17%
4 STARS
48%
3 STARS
27%
2 STARS
6%
1 STARS
2%
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Author
Charles Townshend
Author · 7 books
Charles Townshend FBA (born 1945) is a British historian with particular expertise on the historic role of British imperialism in Ireland and Palestine. Townshend is currently Professor of International History at Keele University. He was elected a Fellow of the British Academy in 2008.
