The First World War on Cigarette and Trade Cards

Book excerpt: Although there have been, and continue to be, many books written on a wide variety of aspects of the First World War, this work not only approaches the history of the war from a unique perspective, but also comprehensively covers many of these aspects. Utilising cards from the extensive, remarkably detailed and mostly contemporaneous issues of cigarette and trade card sets related to the First World War, the author provides a richly illustrated and descriptive tapestry of this great conflict. Not only are the usual political and armed services aspects of the war covered in detail, but also the many other less covered parts receive attention. These latter include regal aspects, and other components of the military such as armamentarium, awards, uniforms and militaria. Then the important role that propaganda played is also covered. The social and literary aspects of the war form an important part of the book. All these written details, a significant amount of which is drawn from the descriptions on the cards, complement the hundreds of card illustrations found throughout the work.