Haig – A Re-Appraisal 80 Years On

Since the trendy teaching of history from the 1960s, Douglas Haig has been lambasted to the point that what was being said about him did not actually reflect how the people, and soldiers of the Great War felt about him.

The often-used phrase “Lions led by Donkeys” in reference to the Generals, while people think it inventive The Times used the phrase reference to the French leaders in the Franco-Prussian War but it was used many centuries before. It was also the source of the title of one of the most scathing examinations of British First World War generals, The Donkeys—a study of Western Front offensives—by politician and writer of military histories Allan Clark, which did much to colour the teaching of the war since its publication.

In recent years that has been a far more nuanced look at Haig and the how the commanders ran the various campaigns, and some of the leading experts such as Prof Gary Sheffield, Niall Barr and Stephen Badsey. These are the people I turn to if I wish to know and understand more about the First World War, and as an undergraduate I found their writing engaging, challenging and inspiring. As they like, the writers in the essays in this book, challenge the modern conventions, look at the primary sources and dig down in other source material also. They do not make terrible glib statements that someone like Allan Clark was guilty of.

Haig, A Re-Appraisal 80 Years On is a collection of 14 essays by some of the leading academics in Britain on the conduct of the First World War by the British. All these excellent essays look at various aspects of Haig, how he was dealt with by historian, there is an excellent Portrait of a Commander in Chief by John Hussay. One of the most insightful essays is the essay written jointly by Gary Sheffield and Niall Barr, Douglas Haig, The Common Soldier and the British Legion, this will open the eyes of those who do not know or understand Haig and the relationship he had with the soldiers of the British Army.

There is much to be learnt from this excellent text, and any student of modern warfare, leadership should be a set text. As these leading scholars are blowing apart the lazy teaching of recent years and really giving us an insight into Haig without the hyperbole of late twentieth century scholars. I cannot recommend this book highly enough, and it will may even challenge some of your modern conceptions about Haig. ( )