Synopses & Reviews
"Churchill's first major historical work is still considered one of his most riveting." and#8212;
Library Journal"It's a great read." and#8212; The Washington Examiner
A story of heroism and glory that rivals any work of fiction, this instructive treatise on a Middle Eastern conflict was written by one of history's greatest figures. In The River War, Winston Churchill recounts a critical but often overlooked episode from the days when the British Empire was at the height of its power: the operations directed by Lord Kitchener of Khartoum on the Upper Nile from 1896 to 1899, which led to England's reconquest of the Egyptian Sudan.
After the 1881 rebellion of the Mahdi had plunged the Sudan into chaos, British attempts to withdraw from the region climaxed in General Gordon's ill-fated attempt to rescue officials, soldiers, and Egyptian subjects from Khartoum. A decade later, the British government began its efforts in the pacification and restoration of the Sudan--a mission that succeeded within two years, at the final battle of Omdurman.
Churchill was present at this decisive battle, and he wrote this book while he was still a young cavalry officer. In addition to the future statesman's views of the conflicts and the politics behind them, it shows how the River War altered the fates of England, Egypt, and the Arabian people of northeast Africa. Illustrated by 22 maps and plans, this treatise offers valuable insights into a historic clash of Western and Arabic cultures.
Synopsis
A story of heroism and glory that rivals any work of fiction, this instructive treatise on a Middle Eastern conflict was written by one of history's greatest figures. In
The River War, Winston Churchill recounts the operations directed by Lord Kitchener of Khartoum on the Upper Nile from 1896 to 1899 that led to England's reconquest of the Egyptian Sudan. Churchill was present at the decisive battle of Omdurman, and he wrote this book while he was still a young cavalry officer. In addition to the future statesman's views of the conflicts and the politics behind them, this treatise offers valuable insights into a historic clash of Western and Arabic cultures. Illustrated by 22 maps and plans.
Synopsis
"Churchill's first major historical work is still considered one of his most riveting." -- Library Journal
"It's a great read." -- The Washington Examiner
A story of heroism and glory that rivals any work of fiction, this instructive treatise on a Middle Eastern conflict was written by one of history's greatest figures. In The River War, Winston Churchill recounts a critical but often overlooked episode from the days when the British Empire was at the height of its power: the operations directed by Lord Kitchener of Khartoum on the Upper Nile from 1896 to 1899, which led to England's reconquest of the Egyptian Sudan.
After the 1881 rebellion of the Mahdi had plunged the Sudan into chaos, British attempts to withdraw from the region climaxed in General Gordon's ill-fated attempt to rescue officials, soldiers, and Egyptian subjects from Khartoum. A decade later, the British government began its efforts in the pacification and restoration of the Sudan--a mission that succeeded within two years, at the final battle of Omdurman.
Churchill was present at this decisive battle, and he wrote this book while he was still a young cavalry officer. In addition to the future statesman's views of the conflicts and the politics behind them, it shows how the River War altered the fates of England, Egypt, and the Arabian people of northeast Africa. Illustrated by 22 maps and plans, this treatise offers valuable insights into a historic clash of Western and Arabic cultures.
Synopsis
This instructive treatise on a Middle Eastern conflict was written by one of history's greatest figures. Churchill recounts the operations directed by Lord Kitchener on the Upper Nile from 1896 to 1899, offering valuable insights into a historic clash of Western and Arabic cultures. 22 maps and plans.
Table of Contents
The Rebellion of the Mahdi
The Fate of the Envoy
The Dervish Empire
The Years of Preparation
The Beginning of the War
Firket
The Recovery of the Dongola Province
The Desert Railway
Abu Hamed
Berber
Reconnaissance
The Battle of the Atbara
The Grand Advance
The Operations of the First of September
The Battle of Omdurman
The Fall of the City
and#210;The Fashoda Incidentand#211;
On the Blue Nile
The End of the Khalifa
Appendices A and B
Index