Guns Of August, The

Detailing the frightening lead-up to WWI, The Guns of August expertly explains how the crowned heads of Europe and their advisors were warned repeatedly several years prior of impending disaster and that intervention was crucial in avoiding war. It follows the historical line closely as George V of England becomes king after the death of Edward VII and discovers how Franz Josef of Austria was challenged in his position and unable to command his generals. While history maintains that the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand officially started the war, The Guns of August delves deeper, finding a collective ineptitude of the various leaders and heads of state to avoid catastrophe, marking a total loss of innocence and a major shift in world affairs.

Narrated by Fritz Weaver, incorporating rare, insightful and compelling archive footage to reveal a fascinating and largely under-appreciated part of history, The Guns of August explores the failure of leadership and captures the raw essence and brutality of the great war.